BHUBANESWAR: An all-party meeting convened by Speaker Surjya Narayan Patro on Monday failed to resolve the impasse in the Assembly over the Mamita Meher murder case. The meeting was called as the Opposition BJP and Congress members continued their protests inside the House demanding the removal of the Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra for his alleged links with the main accused in the murder case Gobinda Sahu. The Opposition members reiterated their demand for CBI and High Court-monitored SIT probes into the case.
Members of both BJP and Congress, shouting slogans and holding placards, rushed to the well as soon as the House assembled for the day. As the situation in the House became unmanageable, the Speaker adjourned it till 4 pm.
The ruling BJD members also countered the Opposition by shouting slogans and wearing facemasks of Jayi Rajguru, demanding the declaration of Paika Bidroha of 1817 as the First War of Independence. The BJD MLAs staged a dharna near the Gandhi statue on the Assembly premises in support of their demand after the House was adjourned.
The all-party meeting called by the Speaker at 4 pm also failed to resolve the issue as both BJP and Congress members stuck to their stands. As pandemonium continued even after the meeting, the Speaker adjourned it till 10.30 am on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Congress targeted the BJD for avoiding a discussion on the murder case in the House. “The Opposition is not paralysing the House but we want a discussion on the sensitive case. The ruling party used to say that it is not afraid of a discussion. Then why is it scared now?,” leader of the Congress Legislature Party Narasingha Mishra told mediapersons here.
Stating that the Opposition has since the beginning been demanding that the Mamita Meher issue be accorded top priority and discussed in the House by cancelling the question hour and other business, Mishra alleged that the Speaker did not take any initiative in this regard.
Mishra replies to question
Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra on Monday said that the case is under investigation. In a written reply to a question from Mohan Majhi (BJP) in the Assembly, the Minister said that on Odisha government’s request, the High Court has nominated former district judge ABS Naidu to monitor investigation. Majhi had asked whether VIPs visited the Mahaling College a month before the incident and how many of them had spent the night there.