BHUBANESWAR: Minister of state for tourism and culture Jyoti Prakash Panigrahi finds himself in trouble for entertaining two female friends while in an official visit to Hyderabad on October 4 as the issue has snowballed into a controversy.
The Odisha Assembly witnessed noisy scenes over the issue during zero hour with Opposition BJP and Congress members creating a ruckus in the well of the House demanding the Minister’s resignation forcing Speaker Surya Narayan Patro to adjourn the house several times and at last till 3 pm.
Raising the issue, leader of the Opposition in the assembly Pradipta Kumar Naik said that government funds should not be spent on friends of the Minister for entertainment. He said that the government should clarify the matter immediately and ask him to put in his papers. The issue was also raised by Santosh Singh Saluja and Suresh Kumar Routray who demanded that the minister should be asked to resign on this.
The Speaker had to adjourn the House thrice amidst slogan shouting by the Opposition members in the well.
Meanwhile, talking to media persons outside the Assembly, the Minister said that not a single penny has been spent from the government exchequer and the Odisha Tourism Development Corporation (OTDC) is open to all for booking. “I have not violated any norms or rules,” he said.
Sources said that two female friends had accompanied the Minister when he had gone to take part in a road show organized by Odisha Tourism in Hyderabad on October 4. The Minister had written to the Director of OTDC asking it to book their tickets and accommodation along with his. He stayed at Hotel Taj Krishna, even though he was not entitled for a five-star accommodation as per the TA Rules of the government.