Bhubaneswar, March 25 (IANS) Massive uproar continued to disrupt the Odisha Assembly on Wednesday, with Opposition parties, including the BJD and Congress, stepping up protests over the March 16 fire in the Trauma Care ICU of SCB Medical College and Hospital that claimed 12 lives and left scores with severe burn injuries.

In a unique show of protest, Opposition members entered the Assembly wearing black T-shirts with slogans such as ‘Weak Chief Minister’ targeting the state government over its handling of the incident.

As Question Hour commenced on Wednesday, Opposition members staged protests in the House, waving banners and placards and raising anti-government slogans such as 'Weak Chief minister' and 'Strong Health Minister'.

Amid the chaos, Speaker Surama Padhy adjourned the proceedings until 11:30 A.M. The protesting legislators raised slogans inside the House, creating disruptions during the proceedings. The same scene repeated when the House reconvened for Zero Hour, leading to further adjournments, ultimately until 4 P.M.

Meanwhile, Speaker Padhy on Wednesday also called an all-party meeting aiming to end the deadlock.

The Opposition members later moved to the Assembly premises, where they organised a protest rally around the Assembly building.

The Opposition demanded a detailed statement from the Chief Minister on the incident, resignation of the Health Minister, and strict action against the then Superintendent of SCB Medical College and Hospital.

Accusing Majhi of being the weakest chief minister, BJD leader Goutam Buddha Das alleged, “Since the last 10 days, when the fire mishap took place at SCB Medical College and Hospital, we have been demanding that the health minister should resign as so many people died due to your negligence.

"However, the state government has turned a deaf year on the issue despite all our protests and demonstrations. So, we assumed that the state health minister is the most powerful while the Chief Minister is the weakest in the history of Odisha.”

Opposition Chief Whip, Pramila Mallik, also challenged the Chief Minister to take action against the Health Minister, saying it would prove he is not the weakest.

Senior Congress leader CS Raazen Ekka also slammed the BJP-led double engine government holding the health minister responsible for the tragic fire tragedy in SCB Medical College and Hospital.

He alleged that the Chief Minister is completely weak and compromised, which is why the Health Minister is not being asked to step down. He also demanded Rs 1 crore ex-gratia for the families of patients who died in the fire at the SCB medical in Cuttack on March 16.

--IANS

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