Bhubaneswar, Mar 7 (Reporter) The Opposition in the Odisha Assembly on Friday stalled proceedings in protest against what they termed as “disrespect” to legendary leader Biju Babu, forcing Speaker Surama Padhy to adjourn the House twice, ultimately until 4 PM. Due to the stiff protest by BJD and Congress members, who were holding placards reading “Insult to Biju Babu” and “Disrespect to Biju Babu” inside the well of the House while shouting slogans of “Biju Babu Amar Rahe,” all legislative business was disrupted for the day. The trouble began right from the Question Hour as agitated BJD and Congress members, carrying placards, stormed into the House's well even before the session commenced at 10:30 AM. They raised slogans against the government for failing to observe Panchayati Raj Diwas on March 5—Biju Babu’s birth anniversary—a tradition that had been followed for the past three decades. As Speaker Surama Padhy entered the House to conduct proceedings, the session quickly descended into chaos, with opposition members attempting to climb onto the podium. Amid the uproar, the Speaker tried to proceed with Question Hour and called upon School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond to respond to a query from BJP MLA Babu Singh. However, as the Minister stood up to reply, the Opposition intensified their protest, making it impossible to hear anything over the din in the House. The Speaker urged the protesting members to return to their seats and allow important discussions to continue, but they refused to comply and continued sloganeering. In a tense moment, BJD MLA Adhiraj Panigrahi and Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati attempted to snatch the Speaker’s microphone, but security personnel intervened to prevent them. With the situation spiraling out of control, the Speaker adjourned the House at 10:35 to 12 PM. Before the Assembly convened at 10:30 AM, protesting BJD and Congress members had already declared they would not tolerate the “disrespect” shown to Biju Babu by discontinuing the observance of Panchayati Raj Diwas on his birth anniversary. Following the adjournment, BJD legislators, carrying placards, marched in a procession from the well of the House to the Mahatma Gandhi statue inside the Assembly complex, where they staged a dharna, demanding that the government reverse its decision. When the House reconvened at 12:00 PM, the situation remained unchanged. Opposition members once again stormed into the well, raised slogans, and attempted to climb onto the Speaker’s podium, further disrupting proceedings. As the uproar continued, Speaker Surama Padhy, finding no alternative, adjourned the House once again at 12:14 PM until 4:00 PM, without any business being transacted. Outside the Assembly, BJD leaders Arun Sahu and Ranendra Pratap Swain strongly criticized the BJP-led government for delinking Panchayati Raj Diwas from Biju Babu’s birth anniversary. Arun Sahu questioned how the BJP government could overturn a cabinet decision through an executive order. He pointed out that the Odisha Cabinet had, in 1993, officially declared March 5 as Panchayati Raj Diwas, and bypassing this decision through an executive order was a gross violation of governance norms. Ranendra Pratap Swain warned that the people of Odisha would not tolerate this decision and would oppose the move to delink Biju Babu’s birthday from the celebration of Panchayati Raj Diwas. He strongly condemned the government’s action, stating that not observing March 5 as Panchayati Raj Diwas sends a wrong signal to the 7,000 elected Panchayat representatives across the state. Swain further declared that the BJD would continue its protest and take to the streets until the government withdrew its order...////...