MAJORITY DIDNT OPPOSE CUT MOTION: STILL OLA OKAYED ENERGY DEMAND!
(Subhas Chandra Pattanayak)
Forget the unattached members. The members of the ruling coalition are 93 in number; BJD 61 and BJP 32. Out of them, only 39 members opposed the cut motion moved by the Opposition on the Energy department demand for grants. This means 54 out of 93 members of the treasury bench did not oppose the cut motion moved by the Opposition. It further means 108 out of total 147 members of the House did not oppose the cut motion. But the Orissa Legislative Assembly Okayed on March 23 the demand for grants of Rs.115. 87 crore sought for by the department of energy.
May it be a mockery of democracy? Think as you like. But it is a reality in Orissa.
When debate was going on, there was hardly any in the treasury side who participated but did not castigate the Government for total chaos in power sector. So, non-opposition to Oppositions cut motion by 54 of the 93 members of the treasury benches cannot but be read in the light of views expressed against governments lackadaisical role in energy management.
True, the Opposition could not pay attention to the division engaged as it was in the well of the House in the more clamant matter of hooch tragedy where ministers were conspicuous by their discovered involvement. But, can we say for sure, that the House fairly and unambiguously granted the demand of the energy department?
When democracy is in a dilemma, who can draw a conclusion?