Stalemate continues as Opp demands removal of Justice M M Das

Bhubaneswar, May 10 () The stalemate in Odisha Assembly continued even as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today attended an all-party meeting convened by the Speaker to resolve the issues relating to chitfund scam. The House continued to witness uproarious scenes andwas adjourned repeatedly after the all-party meeting convenedin the morning failed to yield any result.The House was adjourned at least six times before SpeakerNiranjan Pujari called it a day in the evening as OppositionCongress and BJP members staged agitation in the Wellfollowing no solution during the meeting.However, Patnaik, who attended the meeting following thedemand of the Opposition, did not comment on the stalemate inthe House."We thank the Chief Minister for attending the meeting.But, the meeting could not reach at any conclusion," Leader ofOpposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress said."I can say the meeting was neither successful nora failure. Let us hope for the best tomorrow," Mishra said,adding the government has sought some alternative way forresolution of the impasse in the Assembly.There was no business in the Assembly after the Oppositionmade three demands -- withdrawal of treasury bench'sannouncement of not allowing the LoP to speak in the House,withdrawal of offending remarks made by Law Minister ArunKumar Sahoo against the LoP and the CM's statement on theconduct of the chitfund judicial commission chairman retiredJustice M M Das.While the treasury bench has agreed to accept first twodemands, the government refused to make any statement on theconduct of Justice (retd) Das, whose removal was beingdemanded by the Congress and BJP members. He had allegedlyattended a function of the ruling BJD and made certainstatements which created a hue and cry across the state.When the House assembled for the day in the morning,Congress and BJP members trooped into the Well of the Houseand demanded the CM's resignation accusing him of shieldingpersons linked to chitfund scam. Like the preceding days, BJPmembers were seen wearing black aprons in protest.In view of the continuing impasse, the Speaker statedthat the demand of grants for home and general administrationdepartments would be passed through guillotine route, a movewhich was described by LoP Mishra as unfortunate. AAM SKNNNKIS