Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
Bhubaneswar, Dec .25
The beginning list of its business had to collapse by the clamant call of the opposition for debate on collapse of law and order in the State.
The Orissa Legislative Assembly had to wind up its last Session six days ahead of schedule. And what a session was that!
A lady IAS Officer, who as secretary of the department of health is tainted with allegation of corruption, whipped up a question as to whether IAS officers are bound to remain present in the gallery meant for them during debates. She was, for such contemptuous reaction, viewed as a transgressor of privileges of the House in numbers of Notices to that effect. But, the session ended without any action against her.
The Govt. was castigated by the members of its own side on issue of nepotism, favouritism and inaction. Very speaking allegation were raise against the Chief Minister himself, entangling him with his brother in a scandalous deal carried out in the Orissa Mining Corporation. The Minister, Mines, did not refute the charges but tried to escape under the cover of the public sector status of OMC, claiming that being a business operator, it was beyond the control of govt.
The govt. failed to defend itself convincingly during debates on recycling of rice meant for the people below the poverty line, distress-sale of paddy by farmers, corrupt practices in mining, failure of the ministry to have control over bureaucracy, felony in the State Beverages Corporation etc and etc.
But it succeeded in using the Assembly in enhancing the amount of pension of MLA’s, without taking into consideration that, pension to a member who has been denied reentry to the Assembly by his electors, evidently because of his anti-people activities, tantamount to be a reward to the miscreant. (SCP)