Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
There was no snake in the Hall of the Assembly.
Security personnel, sniffing police dog, professional snake catchers and even members of the House failed to find any snake.
But on hearsay that there was a cobra in the Hall of the House, Orissa Assembly suspended today its business of the day.
The day was scheduled for discussion on and adoption of the demands of the Home department, which is under the Chief Minister. This demand is now shifted to the next day that stands already programmed for the demand of the General Administration department, also held by the CM.
Both the departments are mired under manifold corruption and misrule. Informed use of the full debate time could have brought to records matters that might have exposed the lackadaisical way the State is being managed. But perhaps it won’t happen. Guillotine may cut off debates in view of constraint of time that the loss of the day today is bound to create.
The Chief Minister is seemingly very happy. He was seen instigating members to come out of the Hall lest the unseen snake makes a bite! As confused members were coming out of the Hall, the CM seemingly in relaxed mood, was seen prodding them to visit places of tourists’ attraction that spangle Bhubaneswar and the tourism minister was eager to comply with his boss’s amusing suggestions.
And, as he whisked out a luxury bus from regular tourist service, it was loaded with members to start on sight seeing instead of using the available time in perusing the White Paper produced and placed by the Home department or other important materials essential for discussions tomorrow.
It is yet to be known whether or not the sweeper of the Assembly was used to cook up and spread the snake presence story. But it is sure that a precious day is lost to the House.
Funny things really happen in Orissa Assembly much often that curtail debate times to the detriment of business in this rampart of democracy under any pretext, which is a marked phenomenon ever since the present CM has occupied the top post.