Opposition parties demand minister’s resignation over Nayagarh case

BHUBANESWAR: The opposition BJP and Congress on Thursday demanded the resignation of higher education and agriculture minister, Arun Sahoo, for allegedly shielding the accused in the murder of a minor in Nayagarh district even as the state government has ordered a Crime Branch probe into the incident.
The issue also rocked the state assembly with the opposition members stalling the proceedings by displaying banners in the well of the house leading to repeated adjournments.
Meanwhile, Sahoo broke his silence on the issue two days after the parents of the minor attempted self-immolation outside the state assembly to protest against the alleged police inaction because of political pressure.
“I am deeply saddened and disturbed by the issue of the minor’s death. I sincerely wish her parents get justice. In my political career, I have never encouraged violence. I welcome the Crime Branch probe ordered by the state government into the incident and hope that family of the minor will get justice,” Sahoo said in the assembly amid furore from the opposition.
Calling for the guilty to be duly punished, Sahoo said, “The opposition should try to ensure justice to the family instead of politicizing the issue. Let the truth come to the surface.”
Sources said the minister’s statement came after a meeting of the senior BJD MLAs to discuss the party’s strategy to counter the attack from the opposition on the issue.
Earlier in the day, the BJP and Congress had upped the ante against Sahoo by raising slogans as soon as the assembly was convened at 10.30am. Unable to run the house, Speaker Surya Narayan Patro adjourned the house for 20 minutes and later till 3pm. As similar protests continued when the house reassembled in the post-lunch session, the Speaker adjourned the house twice for 15 minutes each and later till Friday.
“The Crime Branch probe is an eyewash as we have seen in many cases earlier. The probe agency has not resolved a single sensitive case assigned to it earlier. No reports were submitted in the assembly. We believe that the Crime Branch probe is to save the minister. The BJP will not allow the house to run till the chief minister expels Sahoo from the cabinet,” opposition chief whip Mohan Majhi told media persons assembled outside.
Senior Congress leader Taraprasad Bahinipati demanded a high court-monitored SIT inquiry into the murder case. “The Crime Branch cannot impartially inquire into the matter unless the minister resigns,” Bahinipati said. BJP women’s wing president, Smruti Patnaik, said the party will stage protests across the state demanding the expulsion of Sahoo from the cabinet. Patnaik also called for a CBI probe into the matter.