Bhubaneswar, Nov 26 (IANS) The Odisha Assembly on Thursday witnessed uproarious scenes as the opposition BJP and Congress demanded the resignation of minister Arun Kumar Sahoo for allegedly shielding the main accused in the murder case of a five-year-old girl in Nayagarh district.
BJP members rushed to the podium of the Speaker and displayed placards with the photo of the minister with the main accused in the murder case.
Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro adjourned the House twice as the opposition members created a ruckus.
The opposition demanded the resignation of Sahoo after the parents of the deceased alleged that the main accused in the case was not arrested due to protection from the minister.
Outside the Assembly, Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati told reporters that they demand Sahoo’s resignation from the Cabinet and High Court-monitored SIT probe into the case.
Opposition chief whip and BJP MLA Mohan Majhi alleged that the Crime Branch probe into the murder of the minor girl is an eyewash.
“The state government had earlier also ordered the Crime Branch to probe several major cases. But it is yet to submit a single report. We will not allow functioning of the House till the resignation of minister Arun Sahoo,” said Majhi.
Senior BJD MLA Debi Prasad Mishra said the opposition is unnecessarily politicising the matter while the state government has already ordered a probe.
The Odisha government has directed a Crime Branch probe into the alleged abduction and killing of the five-year-old girl.
The girl’s father Ashok Sahoo and mother Saudamini on Tuesday attempted self-immolation outside the Odisha Assembly alleging that they have been denied justice.
The couple accused the minister of shielding the accused Babuli Nayak.
On the other hand, Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan attacked the state government over the incident.
“Pari murder case has hurt the people of Odisha. What were the investigators doing in the last four months? Why were they not able to nab the culprits involved in the case? The matter has raised questions on the safety of all the girl children in the state,” said Pradhan.
–IANS
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