The Hindu : Other States / Orissa News : Assembly prorogued

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Sunday, Dec 02, 2007
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Assembly prorogued

Special Correspondent

Congress plans farmers’ rally at Sambalpur today

Cabinet decision sent to Governor for approval
State’s failure to hold 60-day sitting flayed

BHUBANESWAR: The Orissa Cabinet on Saturday prorogued the State Assembly that was adjourned sine die by Speaker Maheswar Mohanty on Thursday.

The Cabinet’s decision was sent to Governor Muralidhar Chandrakant Bhandare for approval. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik presided over the meeting.

The Cabinet meeting was convened in the wake of the submission of a memorandum before the Governor by main opposition Congress seeking reconvening of the Assembly session.

A Congress delegation that met the Governor on Friday had sought a direction to the Government to comply with the norm of holding the Assembly session for a minimum of 60 days in a year.

The Congress had termed the sine die adjournment of the Assembly 18 days before the schedule `undemocratic and unconstitutional’, and urged the Governor to dismiss the Government for its failure to complete the 60 days’ sitting of the Assembly this year.

The Speaker had adjourned the proceedings of the House sine die after a motion seeking early adjournment was passed by voice vote.

Government Chief Whip Kishore Mohanty had moved the motion stating that the Assembly session should be adjourned sine die since the opposition was not allowing the House to function properly.

Hirakud issue

Opposition legislators had stalled the proceedings for eight days demanding a discussion on a motion moved by them under 113-B of the Assembly rules and procedure seeking a discussion on the controversy over distribution of Hirakud reservoir water and voting on the question whether Hirakud was water was meant for farmers or industries.

The opposition stalled the proceedings continuously as the ruling alliance was opposed to voting on the question raised by the opposition.

The Hirakud water issue had come to the fore after farmers were lathi-charged at Hirakud on November 6 while protesting against the government’s decision to allow several industries to draw water from the reservoir.

After taking up the issue in the State Assembly, the Congress is now trying its best to make the farmers’ agitation in western Orissa a major political issue.

The party is holding a farmers’ rally at Sambalpur on Sunday to extend its support to the farmers’ demands.

The rally is likely to be addressed by a host of prominent leaders of the party, including Union Minister and party’s Orissa in-charge Ajay Maken.

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