Bhubaneswar: State Legislative Assembly Speaker Pramila Mallik adjourned the proceedings till 12 PM after ruling BJD and Opposition BJP members created a ruckus in the House targeting each other on Pari murder case and mismanagement of Arpana rice collected for Srimandir Parikrama Prakalpa.
As soon the House assembled for the day at 10.30 AM, the BJD members stood up at their seats and slammed the BJP for politicising the Nayagarh minor girl rape and murder case, whose judgment was pronounced yesterday and the accused sentenced to 20 years jail term.
After the House adjourned till 11.30 AM, the BJD MLAs held a protest in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Assembly premises. The BJD sought apology from Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi for allegedly politicising the sensitive murder case.
At the same time, BJP members rushed to the well of the Assembly targeting the BJD government over mismanagement of Arpana rice collected for the inauguration of the Srimandir Parikrama Prakalpa. The BJP members alleged that the BJD has served boiled rice for Lord Jagannath, which is against the tradition and rituals.
When the Assembly again met at 11.30 AM, the situation remained the same and the Speaker again adjourned the House till 12.30 PM.
“The court has pronounced its judgment yesterday. However, the manner in which the BJP leaders especially Dharmendra Pradhan and Mohan Majhi have politicised the issue, they should seek unconditional apology before the people of Odisha,” said BJD MLA Samir Ranjan Dash.
On the other hand, Shri Majhi refuted the allegation and said Pari’s mother herself alleged that an innocent has been punished while influential persons allowed to roam scot-free. “We demand a CBI probe into the case,” he said.
“Lord Jagannath’s dishes Kanika and Khechidi were made up of boiled rice, which is against the tradition and rituals of Mahaprabhu. How was the boiled rice allowed into the temple? Where all the money collected from the people through Arpana Rath goes? The government needs to come up with a clarification,” Shri Majhi said.
The BJP leader demanded a statement from the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in the House on this issue.
Reacting to the allegation of Shri Majhi, senior BJD MLA Bhagirathi Sethi said the BJP is playing politics over the issue as they are going to defeat in 2024. “How the BJP leaders know that boiled rice was entered into the Jagannath temple? Whether they have donated boiled rice for the Lord?,” he asked.
