Bhubaneswar, March 31 Opposition members in the Odisha Assembly strongly protested on Tuesday what they alleged was an "insult" to the son of the soil and former chief minister Biju Patnaik by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, and demanded the passage of a censure motion against the lawmaker.
As soon as the House assembled for the Question Hour at 10.30 am, members of the BJD, Congress, and CPI(M) marched into the Well of the House and raised slogans against the state's BJP government over its silence on Dubey's statement against Biju Patnaik, a two-time chief minister of Odisha.
As the opposition members raised slogans and staged a protest in the Well of the House, Speaker Surama Padhy adjourned the proceedings until 11.30 am.
When the House reassembled after a 40-minute break, Deputy Opposition leader Prasana Acharya raised the issue during Zero Hour and sought permission from the Speaker to allow a debate on the censure motion against Dubey moved by BJD members.
"MP Dubey's statement about Biju Patnaik has shaken the very 'pride' of Odisha, and the people will not tolerate it. We want the passage of a censure motion in the Odisha Assembly, of which Biju Patnaik was a member for a long time. Patnaik was also the chief minister of Odisha twice," Acharya said.
However, the Speaker said that she would put the notices of BJD members in the Business Advisory Committee (BAC) meeting and later decide on the proposal.
BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain has submitted a notice to the Odisha Assembly secretariat requesting to move a censure motion titled: "Defamatory and false statement pronounced against Biju Babu and thereby hurting the Pride of Odias."
"If the notice for censure motion is not accepted by the Speaker, it would be construed that Dubey was told (by BJP leadership) to make such kind of statement against Biju Babu. I demand that Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to make a statement in the House and condemn Dubey's remarks," Swain said.
Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rama Chandra Kadam alleged, "The people who were serving British Rulers are now raising questions on the credibility of prominent freedom fighters like Jawaharlal Nehru and Biju Babu. All should condemn Dubey's statement and his party."
Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati also strongly condemned Dubey's statement on Biju Patnaik and alleged that selected corporate houses were running the government.
BJD chief whip Pramila Mallik also came down heavily on Dubey and raised questions on the silence of 20 BJP MPs elected from the state. She also raised a question on newly elected Rajya Sabha MP Dilip Ray making claim of Biju Patnaik being his mentor.
BJP member Saroj Padhi alleged that the BJD does not respect Biju Babu by removing his picture from party posters.
Outside the Assembly, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said, "I want to make it clear on behalf of the state government that MP Dubey's statement is his personal remark. It is imprudent and not acceptable by anyone. His statement has hurt all in Odisha, including the chief minister."
The minister also appealed to all not to repeat it, and there should be no politics over it.
Senior BJP leader Dubey, an MP from Godda constituency in Jharkhand, on March 27, in a statement, had claimed that Biju Patnaik was the link between former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the CIA during the war against China in the 1960s.
Dubey's statement has sparked nationwide outrage with BJD MPs on Monday strongly protesting the "insult" to Biju Patnaik in Rajya Sabha, and its impact was felt on the streets of Odisha when youths and students staged demonstrations and burnt effigy of the BJP MP.
The BJP MP's clarification that there has never been any lack of respect for Biju Patnaik failed to satisfy the angry BJD leaders in Odisha. BJD (Biju Janata Dal), named after Biju Patnaik, instead demanded an unconditional apology from Dubey, even as the BJP MP has issued a clarification saying that he did not disrespect Biju Patnaik. He also praised Biju Patnaik as a prominent freedom fighter.
The Congress also joined the BJD in the protest against Dubey, and OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das said, "Strongly condemn BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's outrageous remarks against Odisha's pride Biju Patnaik. Such baseless comments on a towering freedom fighter like him are absolutely intolerable. Insulting Biju Babu's legacy won't hide the failures of the BJP government."