Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], March 12 (ANI): The Odisha Congress accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government of manhandling opposition parties inside the assembly.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Odisha Congress said BJP legislators attacked and heckled its MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati.

'This is how ruling party MLAs manhandled Congress and other opposition MLAs inside the House today! They attacked and hackled senior Congress MLA @bhalubh55. which shows their fascist attitude to restrict the voice of opposition and kill the democracy as well ! Highly Condemnable Act,' the post read.

https://x.com/INCOdisha/status/1899489970840363300

Taraprasad Bahinipati also alleged that the BJP MLAs held him by his collar.

'Most of the BJP MLAs are criminals... They held me from my collar and I requested the minister to leave me... We will not get scared,' Bahinipati told ANI.

Earlier on Tuesday, Odisha Speaker suspended Congress MLA Tara Bahinipati from the house for seven days for 'unparliamentary behavior' following a scuffle between BJP and Congress MLAs in the State Assemby.

Following the ruckus, BJD MLA Arun Kumar Sahoo said, 'One of the senior leaders, Tara Bahinipati, was suspended for seven days by the Speaker and the motion was passed by the treasury bench. We demanded voting but they did not allow it. This is a one-sided decision. We demand the Speaker reconsider the decision and lift the suspension.'

On the ruckus in the state assembly today, Odisha Minister Krushna Chandra Mohapatra said, 'This is against the spirit of the constitution. He (Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati) tried to break my microphone. I am very saddened by this behaviour...'

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Jayanarayan Mishra termed the ruckus in the Odisha assembly as 'unfortunate,' saying that the current government is working for the development of the state.

'The most unfortunate thing that happened today (in the assembly) is that an MLA broke the microphone of a minister while he was replying to a question in the assembly,' the BJP MLA said.

Congress MLAs today also staged a protest against the BJP-led Odisha government outside the Legislative Assembly over the alleged rising incidents of crimes against women in the State. (ANI)