BHUBANESWAR: Opposition BJD and Congress members were in an offensive mode from the beginning of the Assembly's budget session on Monday, as they boycotted the address of Governor Raghubar Das in the House over the assault of an assistant section officer by Das' son.
Leader of the Opposition Naveen Patnaik led the walkout by the BJD and Congress members as soon as the Governor started his address to the House pointing towards police inaction on the incident. Congress members were also seen raising the issue inside the House before joining the walk out.
“My party and I were disappointed and surprised that the present government has taken no action against the Governor’s son, who had meted out violence to a government officer. We were deeply shocked by this. Law and order seems to have completely broken down in our state,” the leader of the Opposition told mediapersons later.
The BJD supremo said that immediate action was taken against ministers, MLAs, MPs, and senior government officers whenever they broke law during the previous BJD regime.
“The state government should take action according to the law,” he added. Baikuntha Pradhan, then an ASO in Raj Bhawan was allegedly assaulted Governor’s son in the Raj Bhawan premises at Puri on the Rath Yatra day on July 7. Pradhan was posted to supervise supervise preparations for President Droupadi Murmu’s visit.