Odisha assembly row over offering of parboiled rice to Lord Jagannath

Bhubaneswar, Feb 7 (PTI) The proceedings of the Odisha Assembly on Wednesday were stalled for several hours after opposition BJP members created a ruckus in the House alleging that, in a departure from practice, parboiled rice was mixed with Lord Jagannath’s prasad in the Puri temple.

The saffron party legislators also demanded a reply from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the issue, asserting that it has hurt the religious sentiment of lakhs of devotees.

They alleged that the rice collected through 'Arpan Rath’ from villages across Odisha during the inauguration of Shree Jagannath Parikrama Prakalpa or Heritage Corridor project, was mixed with parboiled rice and offered to Lord Jagannath. Traditionally parboiled rice is not used in Lord’s Prasad.

As soon as the house assembled for the day, BJP MLAs trooped into the well of the House and created uproarious scenes holding placards. They also demanded a statement from the chief minister over the matter.

As pandemonium prevailed over the issue, Speaker Pramila Mallik initially adjourned the House for one hour till 11.30 am and subsequently extended it till 4 pm.

When the House reassembled at 4 pm, the BJP members again trooped into the well and raised slogans demanding a statement from the chief minister.

Several of the agitating members also attempted to climb the Speaker's podium but they were stopped by marshals. The MLAs, however, snatched away mike from the Speaker. Unable to run the House, the Speaker again adjourned the House for one hour.

The treasury bench members were also seen shouting from their seats and displaying placards. They accused the BJP members of politicising the Nayagarh minor girl rape and murder case.

Both BJD and BJP members shouted at the top of their voices for some time.

After the House was adjourned, the BJP members staged a demonstration outside the House holding posters as a mark of protest.

They lashed out at the government claiming that Mahaprasad was prepared in the Jagannath Temple using Arpan Rath rice which was mixed with par-boiled rice and distributed to devotees.

Opposition chief whip Mohan Charan Majhi of BJP told reporters: “We demand a statement from the state government and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the Assembly on the issue. We will continue to raise the issue in the Assembly till the government comes out with an answer over the matter.” BJD MLA Bhagirathi Sethi, however, rejected the allegation made by BJP members and accused the saffron party lawmakers of politicising the matter. He sought to know whether the BJP had examined the Arpan Rath rice.

The BJD members also staged a demonstration in front of Mahatma Gandhi's statue on the Assembly premises and alleged that BJP has been caught politicising the sensitive rape and murder of a minor girl in Nayagarh district.

The special children court in Nayagarh district on Tuesday awarded 20 years of RI to a juvenile for being involved in the rape and murder case of a five-year-old girl in 2020.

The BJP has alleged that the BJD leaders were involved in the rape and murder of the little girl.