BHUBANESWAR: The Opposition Congress on Saturday urged Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat to follow the practice adopted by Lok Sabha (LS) Speaker to resolve contentious issues through all-party meetings. In parliamentary democracy, the Opposition plays a key role in the Assembly. While the ruling BJD with its brute majority is trying to muzzle the Opposition, the Speaker is expected to be neutral for smooth functioning of the House. Unfortunately, the Opposition is not getting the desired support from the Speaker, Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh told mediapersons here. The Lok Sabha Speaker is always taking a conciliatory approach by convening all-party meetings frequently to break deadlocks in the Lower House. The Assembly Speaker should take his cue from LS Speaker, Singh said and requested Amat to call all-party meeting whenever necessary. Singh said incidents of atrocities on women had risen during the last three years and the number of registered cases last year were 8,910. This was the figure given by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who also holds the Home portfolio, in the Assembly on February 27. Earlier, the Congress gave an adjournment motion notice on the Pipili case, but the Speaker disallowed it by giving a ruling that the issue, which is under judicial probe, could not be discussed in the House. The Speaker again rejected the Congress’ notice for discussion on the increasing number of atrocities on women and this is not acceptable to the Opposition, Singh said. Alleging that the State Government has demolished all parliamentary and democratic norms, Singh said it would be impossible for them to cooperate if the Opposition is not given due importance. The Opposition boycotted the discussion on demand for grants for Revenue and Disaster Management Department for 2012-13.
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