Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Orissa MPs create furore in LS over science institute: webindia123
The Lok Sabha today witnessed uproarious scenes during Zero Hour, including a sit-in by six members belonging to the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and BJP in the well of the house, over the alleged ''shifting'' of the proposed National Institute of Science (NIS) from Bhubaneshwar to Kolkata in West Bengal.
When the trouble persisted with the BJD-BJP members remaining on their feet, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee adjourned the house at 1250 hrs, ten minutes ahead of the lunch break.
During Zero Hour, BJD floor leader Braja Kishore Tripathy alleged that the present UPA government had deliberately ''shifted'' the NIS, sanctioned by the previous NDA government in 2003 at Bhubaneshwar.
He said about seven acres of land had been acquired for the first and the only national institute in Orissa. However, the UPA government had moved this institute to Kolkata in neighbouring West Bengal and re-designated it as Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER). A similar institute was sanctioned for Pune also.
Mr Tripathy said a delegation of MPs from Orissa had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and represented the matter, but his response was not encouraging. ''Whenever the Congress is in power at the Centre, it never favours Orissa.'' He pointed out that the students were on an agitation over the issue. ''Our state Orissa is in turmoil due to student unrest on this issue,'' he said.
When Mr Tripathy became emotional and recalled the contribution of Orissa in the freedom struggle and nation building, the Speaker asked him not to make such statement as ''it is against national unity''. ''However, I respect your sentiment,'' he said
When the trouble persisted with the BJD-BJP members remaining on their feet, Speaker Somnath Chatterjee adjourned the house at 1250 hrs, ten minutes ahead of the lunch break.
During Zero Hour, BJD floor leader Braja Kishore Tripathy alleged that the present UPA government had deliberately ''shifted'' the NIS, sanctioned by the previous NDA government in 2003 at Bhubaneshwar.
He said about seven acres of land had been acquired for the first and the only national institute in Orissa. However, the UPA government had moved this institute to Kolkata in neighbouring West Bengal and re-designated it as Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER). A similar institute was sanctioned for Pune also.
Mr Tripathy said a delegation of MPs from Orissa had met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and represented the matter, but his response was not encouraging. ''Whenever the Congress is in power at the Centre, it never favours Orissa.'' He pointed out that the students were on an agitation over the issue. ''Our state Orissa is in turmoil due to student unrest on this issue,'' he said.
When Mr Tripathy became emotional and recalled the contribution of Orissa in the freedom struggle and nation building, the Speaker asked him not to make such statement as ''it is against national unity''. ''However, I respect your sentiment,'' he said
# posted by Digambara Patra @ 12:39 AM 
