Bhubaneswar, March 25 Opposition MLAs demonstrated wearing black T-shirts in the Odisha assembly on Wednesday, demanding the resignation of Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling over the death of 12 patients in a fire at a state-run hospital in Cuttack.
The demonstration by the opposition MLAs over the issue, which has been ongoing for the past week, led to repeated adjournments of proceedings during the day.
At the start of Question Hour at 10:30 am, members of the BJD and Congress entered the Well of the House wearing black T-shirts, raising slogans against the government.
The T-shirts bore the message "Weak Chief Minister" on the front and "Strong Health Minister" on the back.
The protesters held Mahaling responsible for the deaths at the Trauma Care ICU of SCB Medical College and Hospital on March 16, and demanded his immediate resignation.
Despite repeated appeals by Speaker Surama Padhy, the demonstration continued. Amid this, members of the treasury bench also started raising slogans against the BJD.
As the speaker failed to pacify the two sides, the House was adjourned until 11:30 am.
During the adjournment, the opposition legislators marched on the assembly premises, shouting slogans against the health minister.
Law Minister Pritihiviraj Harichandan said, "So far, seven days have been washed away due to opposition ruckus. Every day, the state spends Rs 68-70 lakh to run the House. So far, around Rs 12 crore has been wasted."
The agitation followed a statement by Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik, announcing that the BJD would continue its stir inside and outside the House until Mahaling resigns.
Opposition Chief Whip Pramila Mallik said, "Let the chief minister prove he is strong by sacking the health minister. It appears the CM is helpless."
When proceedings resumed, the opposition continued their protest and then staged a walkout amid the din.
Senior BJD member Arun Kumar Sahoo justified the T-shirt protest, saying, "The House has witnessed chaos for seven days, but the CM has failed to take action against the health minister, who is accountable for the hospital fire. Hence, we call the CM weak and the health minister strong."
BJP MLA Ashok Mohanty alleged that the opposition was protesting to divert attention from the formation of the Biju-Naveen Inspirational Foundation in New Delhi, claiming that around Rs 4,000 crore of BJD funds were diverted to it.
He blamed the previous BJD government for neglecting the Cuttack hospital's infrastructure, stating that the party should take moral responsibility for the tragedy.