Odisha: Assembly Stalemate Continues Over SCB Fire; Opposition Demands Health Minister’s Resignation
The House plunged into chaos soon after proceedings began, with Opposition members storming the well and raising slogans. Amid the uproar, Speaker Surama Padhy adjourned the Assembly till 11:30 AM.
Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Legislative Assembly remained paralysed on Thursday as Opposition parties—the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress—intensified their demand for the resignation of health minister Mukesh Mahaling over the recent fire incident at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.
The House plunged into chaos soon after proceedings began, with Opposition members storming the well and raising slogans. Amid the uproar, Speaker Surama Padhy adjourned the Assembly till 11:30 AM. The deadlock, which has persisted since March 17, has repeatedly disrupted normal legislative business.
Outside the Assembly, BJD and Congress legislators staged a protest near the Gandhi statue, escalating pressure on the government. Senior BJD leader Arun Kumar Sahoo termed the incident a result of “extreme negligence” and demanded immediate accountability. “SCB Medical College is the pride of Odisha. If such a tragedy occurs there, the Health Minister must resign or be dismissed,” he said.
Congress MLA Rama Chandra Kadam alleged that despite the reported deaths of 13 patients in the Trauma ICU, no stringent action had been taken against those responsible. He accused the government of failing to uphold public trust in healthcare institutions.
An all-party meeting convened by the Speaker, Surama Padhy, failed to break the impasse.
Meanwhile, the ruling BJP defended its response, with MLA Tankadhar Tripathy stating that both Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and the health minister Mukesh Mahaling had promptly visited the hospital following the incident. He noted that two committees had been formed and a judicial inquiry initiated with a fixed timeline.
Tripathy asserted that strict action would be taken based on the findings, but stressed the need for due process. He also countered the Opposition by questioning their past record, referring to alleged inaction during earlier incidents under the previous government led by Naveen Patnaik.
With both sides holding firm, the Assembly continues to face disruption, leaving key legislative business stalled.
