BJP MLA sings in Odisha House to highlight plight of lawmakers

BJP leader Bishnu Charan Sethi took everyone by surprise in the Assembly on Tuesday, as he broke into a song during the Zero Hour to highlight the plight of lawmakers who were yet to be allotted government quarters in the state capital. Sethi, the BJP deputy leader in the Assembly, said "many MLAs have turned into hermits", living alone in Bhubaneswar, as their family continues to live elsewhere.

He also said that seven months have passed since they assumed power, but no provisions have been made for their families, despite assurances.

"We are unable to bring our family members to Bhubaneswar, as we have been given a 10x12 size room to live in," Sethi said, alleging that the people who "appease the third floor of state secretariat (the chief minister's office) easily get quarters".

As part of his song, the BJP MLA also sought speaker S N Patro's intervention into the matter.

"When the government is ignoring the plight of MLAs, how can common men and women expect dwelling units in rural areas," Sethi asked.

Other BJP MLAs, too, stood up from their seats, in support of Sethi, and blamed Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukha for not paying heed to their concerns.