1 hr ago
Odisha Opposition Demands Minister’s Resignation Over Textbook Errors
Opposition lawmakers in Odisha protested over mistakes in school textbooks.
They wanted Minister Nityananda Gond to resign.
Congress lawmakers also asked the government to repeal the MMDR Act.
The protesters entered the area near the Speaker’s podium and raised slogans.
The Deputy Speaker asked them to return to their seats.
They did not stop, so the Assembly was paused until 4 pm.
The BJD said corrected books had not arrived before upcoming examinations.
The BJP said the Opposition was avoiding a debate and disrupting the Assembly for political reasons.
BJD and Congress MLAs disrupted the Odisha Assembly, demanding School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond’s resignation over textbook errors.
Opposition members also demanded repeal of the MMDR Act, with BJD and Congress raising separate issues.
The Deputy Speaker adjourned the Assembly until 4 pm, less than five minutes after proceedings began.
BJD MLA Sarada Prasanna Jena said corrected textbooks had not reached students ahead of half-yearly examinations.
The ruling BJP accused the Opposition of disrupting proceedings for political attention despite the government’s willingness to hold a debate.
- Who
- BJD and Congress MLAs, School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond, and the ruling BJP.
- What
- Opposition MLAs protested and demanded Gond’s resignation over textbook errors; Congress also sought repeal of the MMDR Act.
- Where
- The Odisha Assembly in Bhubaneswar; BJD members later joined a protest on Mahatma Gandhi Marg.
- When
- Wednesday, during the second day of the Odisha Assembly’s monsoon session, shortly after 10:30 am.
- Why
- The BJD cited errors in textbooks and the lack of corrected books before half-yearly examinations, while Congress opposed the MMDR Act.
Opposition View
Ruling BJP View
Responsibility for textbook errors
Opposition View
The BJD said the minister should resign because corrected textbooks had not been provided before the half-yearly examinations and no one in the government had accepted moral responsibility.
Ruling BJP View
The BJP did not accept the Opposition’s disruption as justified and said the government was prepared to discuss the issue in the Assembly.
Assembly disruption
Opposition View
BJD and Congress members used a protest in the well of the House to press their demands, including Gond’s resignation and repeal of the MMDR Act.
Ruling BJP View
BJP MLA Manas Kumar Dutta alleged that the Opposition was deliberately disrupting proceedings to attract attention to its protest instead of participating in an accepted debate.
Key facts
- Minister targeted
- Nityananda Gond, School and Mass Education Minister
- Main allegation
- Errors in school textbooks
- Additional demand
- Congress MLAs demanded repeal of the MMDR Act
- Assembly action
- The House was adjourned until 4 pm
- Session timing
- The incident occurred on the second day of the monsoon session
- Examination concern
- Half-yearly examinations were scheduled to begin within 15 days, according to BJD MLA Sarada Prasanna Jena
- Government response
- The BJP said the government was ready to debate issues concerning the state
Quotes
Sarada Prasanna Jena
BJD MLA who demanded the School and Mass Education Minister’s resignation
“None in the government is taking the moral responsibility for the lapses. With the half-yearly examinations scheduled to begin in the next 15 days, the corrected textbooks are yet to be provided to students. Therefore, the S&ME Minister should immediately resign, as the BJP has always claimed to be a party based on ideology.”
thehansindia.com
Sources
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