By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, March 16, 2015 :

The Odisha Legislative Assembly on Monday witnessed an uproarious scene as the opposition Congress and BJP members launched a vociferous attack on chief minister Naveen Patnaik, who also holds home department portfolio, over the constable recruitment examination question paper leak.

During the Question Hour, leaders of both the parties created a ruckus in the House demanding a statement from Patnaik on the question paper leak.

Alleging that the state police department officials were involved in the incident, the opposition lawmakers sought an impartial probe into it.

The authority was forced to cancel the written examination for the constable recruitment, which was scheduled to be held on Sunday, after reports from various district question papers were leaked the previous night.

The state government had immediately ordered a Crime Branch probe into the matter.

“The allegation of question paper leak is against the police department. They are responsible for the nefarious act. How can the Crime Branch, which is a branch of the state police, conduct probe into its own people. It’s like assigning probe responsibility to a thief who himself has committed the crime of theft,” Leader of the Opposition Narasingha Mishra said.

The Congress legislators led by party’s chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati rushed to the well of the House. Mr Bahinipati was seen trying to climb the podium of the Speaker to press for the party’s demand for an impartial probe into the matter.

As the Opposition members refused to go back to their seats despite several appeals, Speaker Niranjan Pujari adjourned the House till 12.30 pm. As the same situation persisted after the House reassembled, the Speaker adjourned it (House) for the second time till 3 pm.

“Question papers have been practically leaked in every examination – Class 10, +2, in University, OPSC, OTET and so on. Now, it has happened in the test for recruitment in police department which comes under the chief minister’s home department. Hence, the CM should own moral responsibility for this lapse and resign from his position forthwith,” said Leader of BJP legislature party Basanta Panda.

The chief minister made a statement in the House on the issue in the evening, saying “The written examination was cancelled in the greater interest of the students and to maintain transparency. Fresh dates for the test will be announced by the government soon,” the chief minister said.

Stating that Crime Branch had begun probing into the incident, the chief minister said the culprits involved in the crime would be strictly punished.