Bhubaneswar, (Reporterspen), July 22: During the inaugural session of the 17th Odisha Assembly, opposition parties BJD and Congress staged a walk-out protest during Governor Raghubar Das’s address on Monday.
Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik expressed his disappointment, stating, “My party and I were shocked to find that the current government has not taken any action against the Governor’s son, who was involved in violence against a government officer. This inaction is deeply troubling.”
Patnaik criticized the state’s law and order situation, saying, “When I was in government, immediate action was taken against ministers, MLAs, MPs, and senior officials who broke the law. The state government must adhere to legal standards.”
He concluded, “This is why my party chose to walk out of the assembly at the beginning of the session.”
Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati echoed similar sentiments, criticizing the BJP-led government for its handling of the situation. He remarked, “Despite the BJP’s emphasis on Odia Asmita, the government has not filed a case against the Governor’s son, who assaulted an Odia-origin officer. Additionally, the Governor delivered his speech in Hindi.”
Bahinipati added, “We had demanded that the Chief Minister arrest and take strict action against the Governor’s son. If no action is taken, we will not allow the Governor to speak during the session. We chanted ‘Governor Go Back!’ and staged the walk-out.”
He concluded his statement by declaring, “The protest will continue until the Governor’s son is arrested.”
