Bhubaneswar: The opposition BJP and Congress in the Odisha Assembly on Wednesday raised objection to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reading out the speech he delivered while replying to the debate on the Home and General Administration department demands. The issue was raised in the Assembly during the Zero Hour when Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra stood to speak on a privilege notice he served for consideration. He was, however, not allowed to speak on the privilege notice as the matter was under examination of Speaker B K Arukha. When Mishra raised objection for being denied permission to speak on the matter, Speaker Arukha said that he would certainly allow him, but after examination. Leader of Opposition Jayanarayan Mishra of BJP also urged the Speaker to allow the CLP leader to speak on the privilege notice.

There was an exchange of words between the Congress and BJD members over Patnaik reading out the speech from a sheet instead of directly speaking to the House while replying to the debate on the Home and General Administration department demands on Tuesday night.

The Opposition’s objection was opposed by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Niranjan Pujari who said that there is provision under the Rules that a minister can read out speech in the House. “Along with Parliamentary Affairs portfolio, I am also the Finance minister. Am I not reading the budget speech in the House? Therefore, there is nothing wrong in a minister reading out speech in the House,” Pujari argued.

The CLP leader rejected Pujari’s argument and claimed that though the Finance minister reads the budget speech, it is presented in the House. He said a member or minister can refer books, newspapers and other write ups during the speech, but cannot read it out as it is.

The issue evoked commotion between the opposition and treasury bench creating a noisy scene. In between, Speaker allowed ruling party member Debiprasad Mishra to speak on the Mahanadi water crisis issue.

“The Mahanadi, which passes through 15 out of Odisha’s 30 districts, has dried up due to check dams constructed by Chhattisgarh government at the upstream of the inter-state river. They are releasing excess water during monsoon flooding the lower catchment areas in Odisha and stop water flow during the summer causing hardship for lakhs of people in the state,” the BJD member said.

The BJD leader described the Congress led UPA and the BJD NDA as two side of the same coin. “Both the UPA and NDA government have worked against Odisha’s interest for which Chhattisgarh has been obstructing free flow of water to downstream,” he alleged demanding a ruling from the chair for a special discussion on the Mahanadi water crisis.

The Speaker in his ruling asked the Water Resources minister to make a statement on the water crisis in the Mahanadi river.

The LoP said that his party was prepared for a discussion on the Mahanadi water crisis. He criticised the BJD government for not utilising Mahanadi water as a huge volume is flowing to the sea. “The Odisha government has not been able to construct any check dam to regulate water in the downstream,” the BJP leader said.

Referring to Patnaik’s Tuesday remarks against Opposition that they are insulting the people of Odisha by raising the issue of lawlessness in the state, the LoP said: “We have just said that Odisha has been witnessing rise in crimes like murder, rape, cyber crimes and other such offences quoting the White Paper released by the Home department. The White Paper itself says how the law and order situation has deteriorated in the state,” he said.

ShiromAkali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal on Tuesday said that the party is ready to provide legal assistance to all the Sikh youth who are arrested by Punjab Police in their ongoing search hunt for fugitive Khalistani leader Amritpal Singh. Akali Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal took to Twitter and said, “Shiromani Akali Dal has decided to provide complete legal assistance to all Sikh youth arrested in the ongoing extra-constitutional crackdown in Punjab and ensure their rights are not trampled upon by AAP Punjab”.

Shiromani Akali Dal has released the list of legal team helpline numbers: Arshdeep S Kler 8054200007, Harish Rai Dhanda 9814220300, Gurmeet S Maan 9815533999, Bhagwant S Siyalaka 9815250589, Amardeep S Dharni 9815000026, Jaspreet S Brar 8054800034, Parampreet S Bajwa 7814400060, Parambir S Sunny 9872360026, Zubin 9855572302, Ravinder S Sampla 9814474445, SHIROMANI AKALI DAL OFFICE 0172-2639256.

In another tweet, Badal said, “Shiromani Akali Dal strongly condemns the indiscriminate arrests of innocent Sikh youth, especially the Amritdhari youth on mere suspicion through resort to extra-constitutional methods. We demand the immediate release of all innocents arrested in the ongoing crackdown”. He further tweeted, “Shiromani Akali Dal stands for Justice and the protection of the rights of the Punjabis in general and the Sikhs in particular within the federal framework, with more powers to the states, a demand echoed now by other political parties too”.

Sukhbir Singh Badal further stated that by making these arrests ruling AAP government is trying to defame the Sikh community for communal polarization & electoral gains.

“SAD strongly condemns the puppet AAP regime in Punjab for the undeclared emergency and reign of repression & terror let loose in the state. We warn the govt against dangerous conspiracies to defame the most patriotic Sikh community for communal polarization & electoral gains.” Badal said on Twitter.Punjab Police on Tuesday said that they have arrested 154 people for disturbing ‘peace and harmony’ in the state, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Headquarters Sukhchain Gill informed.

“A total of 154 persons have been arrested for disturbing peace and harmony in the state,” IGP Gill revealed at a press conference.

Lucknow: The ministers in the Yogi Adityanath government will join the recital of Durga Saptashati — the Hindu religious text depicting victory of Goddess Durga over demon Mahishasura — that are being organised in all prominent temples across Uttar Pradesh during the nine-day Chaitra Navratri beginning Wednesday.The ministers and BJP leaders will also be seen reciting the ‘Akhand Ramayan Path’ (uninterrupted recitation of Ramayan verses) on Ram Navami, following the culmination of Navratri on March 30.

The government’s decision to hold recitation of ‘Akhand Ramayan’ is being viewed as a counter to Samajwadi Party leader Swami Prasad Maurya’s campaign to seek deletion of some of the verses of the Ramcharitmanas, which the opposition party leader claimed were “anti-women and anti-backward”.

Jaiveer Singh, the minister for tourism and culture, said, “We will even request Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav to join us in the recitation of Durga Saptashati and Akhand Ramayan Path in all prominent temples across the state. Invocation of Gods would help the country and the state and all must sink political differences and join us.”Singh would be visiting the famous Chandrika Devi temple in Lucknow for the recitation of Durga Saptashati on Wednesday.

“Other ministers and party leaders would also be visiting different temples across the state,” the minister said.

SP leader Swami Prasad Maurya, said, “The government has decided to hold Akhand Ramayan Path as our campaign to delete some verses that clearly portrayed women and backwards in poor light, has found acceptance among the people.”It may be recalled that the Yogi Adityanath government has issued directives to all district magistrates to hold religious/cultural events in all prominent temples, especially those related to Goddess Durga.

“All these programmes would be organised by paryatan aur sanskritik parishad — a committee for holding religious, tourism and cultural events — that are there in each district. The government has allocated Rs 1 lakh each in all districts, but this is a token amount that would be increased as per requirements,” said the tourism minister.

BJP cadres will also be reciting the Durga Saptashati and Akhand Ramayan at various temples.