12 Suspended Congress MLAs Protest Overnight In Odisha Assembly, Demand Action On Crime Against Women
The suspension came two days before the party announced that its members would gherao the Assembly on March 27 over the issue of women’s safety.
The Odisha Assembly erupted into chaos on Tuesday when 12 suspended Congress MLAs refused to leave the Well of the House, defying orders to vacate the area. The suspended MLAs staged a protest demanding the formation of a committee to investigate crimes against women during the eight-month rule of the BJP in the state.
Speaker Surama Padhy announced a seven-day suspension of 12 MLAs, including Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam, citing “indiscipline" in the House.
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As the suspended legislators refused to leave, Speaker Padhy, before adjourning the House for the day, asked the marshals to convince the agitating members to vacate the Well.
The suspension came two days before the party announced that its members would gherao the Assembly on March 27 over the issue of women’s safety.
The state assembly has failed to transact any business since March 7.
One of the two Congress MLAs who avoided suspension, Taraprasad Bahinipati, said, “We have decided to spend the night in the Well of the House and continue to demand formation of the committee. Let them throw us out by using marshals or the police. We are not scared".
The suspended MLAs include Sagar Charan Das, Mangu Khilla, Satyajeet Gomango, Ashok Kumar Das, Dasarathi Gamango, and Sofia Firdous. Two other Congress MLAs – Taraprasad Bahinipati and Ramesh Jena – were, however, not suspended as they were not present in the House when the announcement was being made. Bahinipati was earlier suspended for seven working days on similar grounds on March 11.
Three senior BJD members – Opposition Chief Whip Pramila Mallik, eight-time MLA R P Swain and former minister Ganeswar Behera – urged the Speaker to reconsider the decision of suspension of MLAs.
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