BHUBANESWAR: Opposition BJP and Congress on Saturday stepped up their demand for removal of Housing and Urban Development Minister Pratap Jena over Mahanga double murder case.
Raising the issue during zero hour in the Assembly, Leader of the Opposition Pradipta Kumar Naik hit out at the State government for not taking any action against the Minister though he has been named in the FIR filed in connection with the case.
“Though FIR has been lodged against the Minister in the Mahanga double murder case, action is yet to be taken against him,” he said.
Referring to earlier arrest of Sambalpur BJP MLA Jaynarayan Mishra in a case, Naik said the law seems to be different for the ruling party and the Opposition. Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Narasingha Mishra and senior MLA Santosh Singh Saluja also raised the issue and demanded ouster of Jena from the Cabinet.
However, the ruling BJD members countered the allegations. BJD MLA Byomakesh Ray questioned why BJP leader from Mahanga Sarada Pradhan has not been arrested against whom several cases are pending. Defending Pradhan, deputy leader of the Opposition Bishnu Charan Sethi said he is being targeted for starting the padayatra from Mahanga to Bhubaneswar in connection with the double murder case.
“Crores of rupees are looted under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and people like Kulamani Baral are killed for asking questions in this regard. Prafulla Biswal, who was from the BJD itself, was also killed to silence him so that he cannot reveal about the murder,” he said.
The BJP also staged a demonstration outside the Assembly over the demand. Accusing the government of providing cover to the Minister, State BJP president Samir Mohanty said as an accused in the murder case, Jena has violated the sanctity of the Assembly.
Mohanty’s remarks came in retaliation to the Minister’s Thursday jibe against the BJP lawmakers that, “Naveen Niwas is a holy place and the sins of BJP leaders will be washed away if they step into it.”
Asserting that the BJP will continue its fight till Jena is put behind bars, Mohanty said the Minister’s constituency Mahanga is the epicentre of rural housing scam.