Rourkela, March 18: Life was paralysed in the city due to a dawn-to-dusk strike observed by people of the local ethnic community in protest against inclusion of four gram panchayats in the newly formed municipal corporation allegedly without their consent.

The strike had its echo in the Assembly with Congress MLAs raising their voice and forcing adjournments.

The agitators, led by the Adivasi and Mulavasi Bachao Manch president and Biramitrapur MLA George Tirkey, continued to block the main road outside the Rourkela Municipal Corporation till late night. 'We will continue our agitation till our demand is met,' Tirkey told The Telegraph.

'The formation of the Rourkela Municipal Corporation taking the areas falling under the scheduled localities is unconstitutional and violative of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act,' he said, alleging that the palli sabha was neither consulted nor its consent was obtained.

Sundargarh collector B.S. Punia, on the other hand, said: 'We are keeping an eye on the whole development and trying our best to maintain the law and order.'

Ever since the Rourkela has been elevated to the status of corporation, it has become a bone contention between the manch and the state government. On November 29 and January 20, the city remained cut-off from the rest of the world both by rail and road due to economic blockade by the manch activists. 'We do not want corporation, we want protection of our rights and our land,' said an activist.

Today's shutdown covers the Rourkela and Raghunathpalli Assembly constituencies as all private and government institutions downed their shutters in support of the call.

Only the schools remained open in view of the ongoing examinations. Buses and autorickshaws ferrying the examinees were only exempted.

However, attendance in the Rourkela Steel Plant (RSP) remained unaffected, said the plant sources. But there were reported cases of RSP employees going for the general shift being roughed up near Bisra Chowk. Though plying of buses were affected, train services remained unaffected.

In the Assembly, noisy scenes were witnessed on the issue forcing frequent adjournments till 3pm.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour today, Opposition chief whip and Tara Prasad Bahinipati alleged that the inclusion of tribal areas in the proposed Rourkela Municipal Corporation by the state government was without the consent of the ethnic people. Sundargarh MLA Jogesh Kumar Singh and Talasara MLA Prafulla Majhi supported him.

Earlier, during the Question Hour, Singh and Majhi sat on a dharna inside the House, demanding direction to the government to exclude the tribal areas from the corporation.

Opposition leader Narasingha Mishra demanded the adjournment motion given by the Congress on the issue be taken up today. However, Speaker Niranjan Pujari said the matter was under his examination. The Congress members then stormed the Well, while the BJP members stood on their seats to protest.