Odisha Assembly Adjourned Again Over Paddy Procurement Row

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

Odisha Assembly proceedings were adjourned for the fourth straight day due to Opposition protests.
BJD and Congress demanded an end to alleged ‘katni-chhatni’ and full paddy procurement.
The government insists farmers will be paid, but the Opposition alleges ground-level failures.

The Odisha Assembly was adjourned over paddy procurement issues yet again on Saturday as protests by Opposition BJD and Congress MLAs brought proceedings to a halt. The repeated disruptions underline growing political tensions over alleged mismanagement of paddy procurement and farmer payments.

Despite assurances from the government, the stalemate showed no signs of easing, forcing multiple adjournments during the day.

Repeated Disruptions Force Adjournment

As the House convened at 10.30 am, members of the Biju Janata Dal and the Indian National Congress rushed to the Well, raising slogans and holding placards near the Speaker’s podium.

Speaker Surama Padhy urged the legislators to return to their seats, but her appeals went unheeded. She initially adjourned the House till 11.30 am and later extended it to 4 pm as the protests continued.

Similar scenes have disrupted proceedings since Wednesday, marking four consecutive days of deadlock.

Paddy Procurement, Katni-Chhatni at Core of Protest

Congress MLAs, wearing black headbands, highlighted alleged hardships faced by farmers at state-run mandis. The Opposition accused procurement agencies of continuing the practice of ‘katni-chhatni’ illegal deductions of 7–8 kg per quintal of paddy.

Opposition members also demanded payment of Rs 3,169 per quintal, combining the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and input subsidy.

Although Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi assured the House that the government would procure the entire paddy stock from farmers, the Opposition sought concrete administrative guarantees.

BJD, Congress Target Government Over Farmer Distress

Deputy Leader of Opposition Prasanna Acharya questioned the implementation of government assurances. Hailing from Bargarh, known as Odisha’s rice bowl, he said farmers were neither receiving the promised price nor timely payments.

Acharya stressed that the Opposition was open to discussion and urged the government to bring a formal motion in the House.

Outside the Assembly, Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam accused the government of ignoring farmers’ plight, forcing many into distress sales.

Political War of Words Intensifies

Former agriculture minister and BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo alleged that the BJP government was misleading the public and weakening the state economy by undermining farmers.

BJP MLA Sanatan Bijuli hit back, accusing the Opposition of being anti-farmer and anti-women by repeatedly stalling legislative business.

The BJD also demanded the resignation of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister K C Patra, further escalating the confrontation.

With no breakthrough in sight despite an all-party meeting, the Odisha Assembly remains gridlocked, as farmer-centric issues continue to dominate the political agenda.

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