Bhubaneswar, March 14 -- Bhubaneswar: Terming the suicide bid by Deogarh MLA Subash Panigrahi in the Odisha Assembly as a violation of House rules, Speaker, Surjya Narayan Patro on Sunday said that there is no harm in an apology as demanded by the ruling party from the BJP member if that is what needed to bring the house in order.

"It depends on the BJP to decide the further course of action. But as far as my opinion on the issue is concerned, if BJP comes on the same page as the treasury bench then the House can run smoothly," said Patro.

"The demand by the ruling party MLAs to tender an apology from Panigrahi is justified and there is no harm in doing so," Patro surmised.

Citing the sanctity of the Assembly, he further said, "There i...