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Updated September 3rd, 2021 at 14:47 IST

Odisha Assembly adjourned after uproar over 'SSC recruitment scam'

Odisha Assembly adjourned after uproar over 'SSC recruitment scam'

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Bhubaneswar, Sep 3 (PTI) The Odisha Assembly was adjourned till 4 PM within one minute of its sitting on the third day of the monsoon session on Friday following uproar by opposition Congress alleging a scam in the recruitment process of the state Staff Selection Commission (SSC).

The main opposition BJP, however, alleged that the House was deliberately adjourned to avoid a discussion on the "worsening" law and order in the state for which the party had given notice and it was also accepted by the Speaker.

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"The House was adjourned within one minute even before one question was discussed. It is now clear that there has been a secret deal between the ruling BJD and the Congress to avoid a discussion on law and order," BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi said.

"This is something like match-fixing. As per the secret deal, the Congress raised the recruitment scam issue and created din based on which, the Speaker adjourned the House. Law and order issues could not be discussed. We were supposed to raise the law minister's alleged involvement in the Mahanga double murder and other such cases," Majhi told reporters outside the House.

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The alleged recruitment scam issue was raised by Congress Legislature Party leader Narasingha Mishra as soon as the House assembled for the Question Hour at 10.30 AM.

The Congress members stood in their respective seats even before the House proceedings began. Party MLAs led by Suresh Routray and Taraprasad Bahinipati rushed to Well and raised anti-government slogans.

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"A big scam is going on in the SSC recruitment process. One can't rule out the involvement of the third floor (of the secretariat where CMO is located) in it," Mishra said in the House.

"The state's main opposition party is confused over issues. A notice was given yesterday for a discussion on the recruitment scam. As it could not be held on Thursday, we demanded that the debate on the matter be conducted on Friday after cancelling the Question Hour," he said.

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Speaker S N Patro, who had admitted a notice by the BJP for a discussion on law and order in the state, announced adjournment of the House till 4 PM.

Minister of State for Home D S Mishra was supposed to give a reply on the debate on law and order.

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An SSC staffer was recently arrested by the anti-corruption vigilance wing, which detected massive disproportionate assets in his possession. The Congress and the BJP alleged that the arrest indicated a massive racket in the SSC.

Government chief whip Pramila Mallick, however, said, "The government is ready for discussion on any issue. Instead of raising common issues such as farmers' problems and drought situation, they (opposition) have been disrupting the House over some petty crimes. Have people sent us to Assembly to discuss criminal cases only?" "Many important Bills will be tabled in the House and few major issues are likely to be discussed. But unfortunately, the opposition is creating ruckus and disrupting proceedings," BJD MLA Snehangini Chhuria said. PTI AAM ACD ACD

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Published September 3rd, 2021 at 14:47 IST

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