Bhubaneswar, Mar 20: Proceedings in the Odisha Legislative Assembly were adjourned till 1 pm on Friday following intense disruptions by Opposition parties over the recent fire at SCB Hospital. Speaker Surama Padhy convened an all-party meeting in an attempt to break the deadlock and restore normalcy in the House.

Earlier, the House had been adjourned till 11:30 am as members of the BJD and Congress created a ruckus, demanding the resignation of the Health Minister over the tragic incident. Holding placards and raising slogans such as “Double Engine, Double Dhoka” and “Health Minister Must Resign,” Opposition MLAs intensified their protest, accusing the government of negligence.

The situation escalated when some legislators attempted to climb onto the Speaker’s podium, forcing security personnel to step in. The protest relates to the SCB Hospital fire incident, which claimed 13 lives and triggered widespread outrage across the state. Opposition members remained firm on their demand, refusing to allow the House to function.

Despite the chaos, Question Hour briefly continued. Minister Nityananda Gond responded to queries on education, while Suryabanshi Suraj addressed issues related to the National Education Policy-2020, though his remarks were largely drowned out by protests.

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