BHUBANESWAR:  The Odisha Assembly erupted on Thursday in response to Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury's controversial 'Rashtrapatni' comment on newly-elected President Droupadi Murmu.

As soon as the House reconvened for the day at 10.30 a.m., BJP members carrying placards marched into the well and chanted anti-Chowdhury slogans.

Speaker B.K. Arukha asked BJP MPs to return to their seats and address the issue during Zero Hour. The agitated BJP MLAs, on the other hand, were not in the mood to listen to the Speaker's appeal. Because of the raucous atmosphere in the chamber, the Speaker adjourned the proceedings until 4 p.m.

Following the adjournment, BJP members led by House Chief Whip Mohan Charan Majhi held a protest on the Assembly grounds. Members of the BJP requested that Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi apologise unconditionally.

"Congress national president Sonia Gandhi should confess her party's wrongdoing and seek an apology," Majhi remarked. He requested that the Congress suspend or expel Chowdhury from the party because he attempted to assassinate the President's character. Such insults on the President, who is at the pinnacle of Indian democracy, are regrettable, according to Congress MLA C. S. Raazen Ekka.

"It is our collective duty and responsibility to safeguard the dignity of our President and our country. He (Adhir Ranjan) should not have used such harsh remarks towards the President "Ekka said. Similarly, BJD member Rajkishore Das expressed regret that a political leader like Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury would say such things about the President.

Making such a disparaging remark about the President is tantamount to insulting the nation, he said.

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