BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) on Monday slammed Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for sharing dais with Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra at Bhawanipatna and described it as a ‘black day’ for the State.
OPCC vice president Debasis Patnaik told media persons that the Chief Minister did not send out an appropriate message to the people by sharing dais with the Minister who should be brought under the purview of investigation in the Mamita Meher murder case for his links with the main accused Gobinda Sahu.
Calling it a ‘black day’ for Odisha, Patnaik said people will give a fitting reply to the Chief Minister’s gesture in the ensuing panchayat and urban body elections. Congress spokesperson Nishikanta Mishra criticised the State government for trying to derail the investigation into the case by showing videos of two different incidents which occured in the past.
Referring to the videos shown by BJD national spokesperson Sasmit Patra, Mishra asked why the accused in Pipili and Kunduli incidents are yet to be arrested. Mishra targeted the Chief Minister for protecting the Home Minister and demanded the latter’s immediate resignation for an impartial probe.
Chief of the State unit of Sevadal Arjya Kumar Gyanendra said Congress will continue to raise the issue at different fora till the Minister is dismissed. He called upon people to support Congress’ Odisha bandh call on November 12.