Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Assembly witnessed significant disruptions on Friday as members of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) staged protests against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government’s decision to derecognise March 5 as Panchayati Raj Divas. The uproar led to multiple adjournments, with proceedings first suspended until noon and later until 4 PM.The controversy erupted after the government decided to drop March 5 from its official calendar as Panchayati Raj Divas and instead observe it alongside National Panchayati Raj Divas on April 24. The move has been strongly opposed by the BJD, which argues that it dishonors the legacy of former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik, whose birthday—March 5—had been celebrated as Panchayati Raj Divas in Odisha for years.Before the commencement of the Question Hour session, BJD legislators created a ruckus, signaling a turbulent session ahead. As the session formally began, protests intensified, with BJD members attempting to storm the Speaker’s podium in a show of dissent.Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy made repeated efforts to restore order, but the protests continued unabated, forcing her to adjourn the House first until noon and then until 4 PM. Meanwhile, outside the Assembly, BJD members continued their demonstrations in front of the statue of Biju Patnaik, further amplifying their opposition to the government’s decision.BJD leaders lambasted the BJP government for what they termed an act of “disrespect” toward Biju Patnaik. Senior BJD MLA Arun Sahoo criticized the decision, stating, “The people of Odisha are not willing to accept this disrespect towards Biju Patnaik. We demand an immediate rollback of this decision. The BJP government has changed the date through an executive order, which is a gross violation of the cabinet mandate.”Responding to the allegations, BJP MLA Amar Nayak defended the government’s stance and criticized the BJD’s approach. “There are established procedures within the Assembly for raising concerns and discussing issues. The BJD members are experienced legislators, and they know these procedures well. Creating chaos instead of engaging in discussion serves no purpose,” he said.March 5 had been observed as Panchayati Raj Divas in Odisha to honor Biju Patnaik’s contributions to grassroots governance. However, the BJP government’s move to align the observance with the national date has sparked controversy, highlighting the ongoing political rivalry between the two parties.
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