BHUBANESWAR: Members of the BJP continued their protest in the Assembly on Friday by covering their mouth with black cloth. They are demanding a CBI probe into the death of lady panchayat extension officer (PEO) Smitarani Biswal.
Leader of the Opposition Pradipta Kumar Naik announced earlier in a media conference that BJP members will continue their silent protest inside the House till a case is registered under Section 302 of the IPC against Rupesh Bhadra, the accused in the case.
Criticising the State Government for portraying the death of Smitarani as a case of suicide, the Leader of Opposition alleged that the conspiracy to mislead the investigation was started by some ruling BJD members and supported by Jajpur Superintendent of Police and chairperson of the Odisha State Women’s Commission. He demanded dismissal of both Jajpur SP and Chairperson of Women’s Commission.
Referring to the statement of Smitarani’s father that a police officer had forced him to write Smitarani’s death as suicide in the FIR, Naik wanted to know how Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra came to the conclusion that the lady PEO had committed suicide. Postmortem reports never give such conclusion, he said and added that one can also arrive at the conclusion from the post-mortem report that she was killed.
Alleging that the Speaker did not allow the BJP’s motion to discuss the issue in the House, Naik said that as the main opposition, the party should have been given a chance automatically. But, the Speaker allowed an adjournment motion brought by the Congress members to discuss the issue, he said.
The Leader of Opposition said the motion brought by BJP should have been discussed. However, BJD and Congress joined hands to save the Govermment, Naik said and added that the BJP members would continue their protest in the House over the issue. Deputy leader of the BJP Legislature Party Bisnu Charan Sethi, Opposition chief whip Mohan Majhi and BJP MLAs were present.