JUDO PROJECT JEERED IN HOUSE: SPEAKER AMENDS HIS STEP

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

Speaker Mahaeswar Mohanty amended his earlier stand today and assured the House that the security staff trained in Judo would not be used against Opposition members.

The pre-intermission part of the current session had ended with the Speaker saying that the security staff of the Assembly would be given Judo training to keep under control the violent members.

Editorialisation of this information in this website, carried by the print media, had its impact.

Members of even the treasury benches were in severe disagreement with the judo project. Pradip Maharathy warned the Speaker that he will initiate steps to censor him if members are subjected to discipline by judo. Arun De asked, “What will happen if Opposition members get training in judo to face the security staff?”

“You are acting as custodian of the government. But you ought to act as the custodian of the House”. Thus said Umesh Ch Swain addressing the Speaker.

Reacting to the criticism the Speaker clarified that he had not said specifically that the security staff would be trained in judo to control the Opposition members. Rather the purpose was to ensure peaceful transaction of business of the House.

What does it mean? Roared members cutting across partylines.

Deputy Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra reminded the Speaker of the legal powers that he can use to control the House. But he would be doing a disservice to democracy if security staff is given the power to keep members under control. This is giving a wrong message to the people.

He asked the Speaker to specifically declare that the trained personnel will not be used against the Opposition under any circumstances.

The Speaker accordingly declared.

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