Uproar in Assembly over Chikiti hooch tragedy

Bhubaneswar: There was ruckus in Odisha Assembly for the fourth day in a row on Friday with Opposition BJD and Congress demanding the resignation of Excise Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan over liquor deaths in Ganjam district.

As soon as the House assembled for Question Hour at 10.30 am, the Opposition MLAs of the Biju Janata Dal and the Congress trooped into the Well and raised slogans demanding the resignation of the minister. They held the BJP government responsible for the spread of spurious liquor in Ganjam and other parts of the State. The State government has already announced an RDC (Revenue Divisional Commissioner) probe into the liquor deaths as demanded by the BJD, but the regional party demanded the Excise Minister’s removal on moral grounds. At least two persons died and 13 others were under treatment at MKCG Medical College Hospital in Berhampur after consuming spurious liquor at Chikiti in Ganjam district on Monday night.

While the Opposition members were staging an agitation in the House, two BJD MLAs attempted to climb on to Speaker Surama Padhy’s podium, forcing her to adjourn the House till 11.30 am. The women MLAs of the Opposition party also tried to forcibly enter the Speaker’s podium through the staircase.

As the House resumed at 11.30 am, Zero Hour was held and both government and Opposition agreed to hold a debate on the issue.While replying to the debate in the House, Harichandan vowed that his department would completely demolish the illegal liquor network across the State within a year. “We have already started working in this direction and identified the illegal liquor joints and their origins,” the minister said, adding that the racket involved in the activities would be booked. The minister also narrated how the government promptly reacted to the case and provided all treatment to the affected people even though two of them died in the ICU. He claimed that the condition of 13 other affected people was stable. Referring to allegations by some members that liquor shops have come up near educational and religious institutions, the minister said they would be shifted. He alleged that the previous BJD government violated rules and allowed liquor shops near schools and temples. “There will be no political patronage to the liquor traders now,” he said.

The minister also informed the House that the government has launched a drive to ban illegal liquor joints across the State.As many as eight members from both the Treasury and Opposition benches participated in the debate. There were exchange of words between the ruling and Opposition members during the debate.However, both the BJD and the Congress members walked out of the House after rejecting the minister’s statements.

“The government is claiming a lot of things, including action against liquor mafia. But in reality, the current dispensation can do little except changing names of the previous government’s schemes,” Opposition chief whip Pramila Mallik said, while alleging a nexus between the government and the liquor mafia.

Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam said, “The Excise Minister should tender his resignation on moral grounds after the death of two persons in the liquor-related incident. Instead of regulating spurious liquor, there is a flood of illicit alcohol across the State.”

“We are forced to stage an agitation in the House as the government has failed to answer questions on illicit liquor trade. This issue is not limited to one area but affects the entire state. Our protest will continue,” Congress MLA Pabitra Saunta said.

BJP MLA Purna Sethi slammed the Opposition over disruptions since beginning of the second half of the session on Tuesday.”This is simply indiscipline. They (Opposition) have no interest in taking up people’s issues. Their only intention is to stall the proceedings. They continued creating ruckus despite the government agreeing to their demand for an RDC probe into the hooch tragedy,” Sethi said. Defending the Excise Minister, the treasury bench members pointed out that Harichandan had visited the affected people at the hospital and made arrangements for their treatment. The government has suspended two excise department officials and also transferred the excise superintendent of Berhampur, they added. They said the State government has launched a drive against illegal liquor sale and arrested more than 100 people.