Congress and BJP members in the Assembly on Thursday expressed unhappiness over a ruling of Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro assuring to examine BJD MLA Pradeep Maharathy’s demand of expunging certain remarks made against him by Finance Minister Niranjan Pujari during the Question Hour on Wednesday.

During the Zero Hour, Maharathy brought to the notice of the Speaker that, during Question Hour on Wednesday, the Finance Minister said that the number of cold storages in the State had come down from138 to 48 during his ministerial period.

“The information given by the Minister is not based on fact. Actually, 24 of 138 cold storages were functioning in the State when I assumed as a Minister. During my period, I enhanced the number of working cold storages to 48. Thus, the Minister’s remark is false and derogatory and has raised a question mark on my efficiency. I have been very disturbed. Kindly expunge the remark from the recordings of the proceedings,” demanded Maharathy.

He too raised the issue again after an adjournment and threatened that he would not attend the rest sittings of the House if the remark is not expunged.

To this, Speaker Patro said he would examine Maharathy’s request and expunge remarks, if found objectionable.

At this , BJP and Congress members, who were staging a protest against assault on a scribe by the Kendrapada SP, objected to the ruling.

They said there was no objectionable remark made by the Minister and, thus, the Chair should not give a ruling to expunge any part of the Minister’s answer.

During afternoon, Congress Legislature Party Leader Narasingha

Mihsra objected to the Speaker’s ruling.

“As per 221 of Rules of Procedures, statements of aspersions, insulting and objectionable words can be expunged from the recordings.Yesterday, the Minister submitted a data, which is not at all objectionable. Hence, the Chair’s ruling is not appropriate,” said Mishra.