BHUBANESWAR: The assembly witnessed an almost washout on Monday because both treasury and opposition members created mayhem over two different issues, forcing speaker Pradip Amat to adjourn the House first till 3pm and again for the entire day.Moments after the House reconvened for the question hour at 10.30am, the BJD members highlighted funds cut by the Centre for scholarship scheme meant for Scheduled Castes and raised anti-BJP slogans, terming the BJP-led central government as 'anti-Dalit'.The Congress members joined the noisy scene, seeking a clarification from the government on reports in a section of media regarding CBI questioning a minister pertaining to the chit fund scam in the secretariat on October 29. Failing to restore order, the speaker adjourned the House till 3pm.The BJD MLAs sat on a dharna near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the assembly, armed with banners, which termed the BJP-led government 'anti-Scheduled Caste.'Talking to reporters outside the assembly, BJD MLA Arun Sahoo said the Union ministry of social justice and empowerment had abruptly changed the funding pattern of post-matric scholarship scheme for SC students, reducing the central share. Till 2016-17, the Centre used to give 90% funds and the state used to bear the rest 10%.From 2017-18, the Centre started paying only 20% while passing the burden of the rest 80% to the state, he said.Coinciding with the BJD MLAs' protest, the chief minister's office released a letter written by chief minister Naveen Patanik to social justice and empowerment minister Thaawar Chand Gehlot on November 17, highlighting 'abrupt change in funding pattern' for the scholarship and seeking his 'personal intervention to restore the old funding pattern of 90:10.Leader of opposition Narasingha Mishra said the Congress members had no intention of disrupting the question hour. However, the treasury bench 'disrupted the House' not to allow any discussion on an adjournment motion on 'illegal felling of trees' at Balarampur village in Dhenkanal district, notice for which was given by the opposition. The Dhenkanal district administration on Sunday felled more than 500 trees for establishment of a brewery amid stiff opposition. "Since the ruling party MLAs created a pandemonium, we had no way but to raise our voice to be heard," Narasingha said.BJP MLA Pradip Purohit too echoed similar views. "If the BJD has to say something on scholarship scheme, its party MPs should raise the issue in Parliament. There was no reason to stall the assembly proceedings for this," he said. BJD's Arun Sahoo justified the BJD move, saying injustice on Scheduled Castes by the Centre will not be tolerated.

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