Odisha Health Minister Courts Controversy Over ‘Appointing Daughter As Official Representative’

The State Health Minister of Odisha, Naba Das has once again landed in soup after reports of appointing his daughter Deepali Das as his official representative have started to do rounds.

Deepali has been seen attending various review works of projects with his father in Jharsuguda. She was recently caught participating in a Zilla Parishad meeting as an official representative of Naba Das in presence of Collector, Jharsuguda and other senior officials to review developmental works. She has also taken to her Facebook page to share her status as the official representative of H& FW Department Minister Naba Kishore Das.

It may be noted that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had in 2014 directed his ministers, MLAs, MPs not to engage any blood-relative as personal representative on official purposes.

Despite the ruling in 2019, Das had allowed his daughter Deepali to work as his representative. However after serious backlash from all quarters, he disengaged her.

Meanwhile, the State unit of BJP has asked Naba Das to clarify as to when did he reappoint his daughter to the post. The Health Minister however, is yet to issue any clarification over the matter.

"It is quite surprising to see that despite being a cabinet minister in the State, Naba Das failed to get even a single proper candidate from his own BJD flank to appoint as official representative to him and so he had to engage his daughter, State BJP General Secretary Tankadhar Tripathy said while coming down hard on Das.

After evoking massive criticism from all around, the minister had informed the district collector of Jharsuguda in writing on 30.5.2020 about removing his daughter from the post of his official representative. But now he must clarifiy as to when did he re-engage his daughter back in his official team. For that he must have shot a letter to the district authorities and that is what we want him to publicise for the knowledge of all.