Odisha Assembly Plunges Into Chaos as Opposition Dumps Paddy in Protest

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Assembly witnessed unprecedented scenes on Tuesday as opposition members from the BJD and Congress stormed the well of the House carrying sacks of paddy to protest alleged irregularities in procurement.

Lawmakers accused the BJP-led government of betraying farmers by purchasing paddy at Rs 1,700 per quintal instead of the promised Rs 3,169.

They alleged arbitrary deductions, harassment at mandis, and mismanagement of procurement centres.

In a dramatic gesture, BJD MLA Romanch Ranjan Biswal carried paddy on his head and poured it onto the reporters’ table, while other legislators displayed grains before Speaker Surama Padhy.

Slogans of “double betrayal” echoed through the chamber, forcing repeated adjournments.

Agriculture Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo attempted to respond during Question Hour, but his voice was drowned out by the uproar.

The Speaker’s appeals for order failed, and proceedings were adjourned twice—first until 11:30 AM and later until 4 PM.

The protest highlighted deepening tensions over farmer welfare and procurement policies, with opposition parties vowing to intensify their agitation unless corrective measures are taken.