Ramakanta Biswas

Bhubaneswar: The Opposition on Saturday raised the Mahanga double murder issue in the Odisha Assembly and demanded resignation and arrest of Minister Pratap Jena for his alleged involvement in the crime.

During the Zero Hour, leader of opposition Pradipta Naik said the law and order situation has deteriorated in the State. Referring to earlier arrest of BJP Sambalpur MLA Jaynarayan Mishra in a case, Naik said the law seems to be different for the ruling party and the Opposition.

"Though FIR has been lodged against a Minister in the Mahanga double murder case, action is yet to be taken against him," Naik alleged.

Congress legislature party leader Narasingha Mishra and MLA Santosh Singh Saluja also raised the issue and demanded resignation of Pratap Jena.

Countering the allegations, BJD MLA Byomakesh Ray questioned why BJP leader from Mahanga Sarada Pradhan has not been arrested against whom, he claimed, several cases are pending.

"He (Pradhan) is facing several criminal cases starting from dacoity to attempted murder. He had also served jail term for 22 days earlier. In 1957, his name was in BPL list but within next 3 to 4 years he became owner of property worth thousands of crores," Ray alleged.

"He is a mining mafia and discussing about a person like him in the Assembly is unfortunate," Ray added.

On the other hand, Deputy Leader of Opposition Bishnu Sethi said Sarada Pradhan are being targeted for launching rally from Mahanga in connection with the double murder case.

"Crores of rupees are looted under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and if anybody dares to seek information in this regard, people like Kulamani Baral are murdered. Prafulla Biswal, who was from the BJD itself, was also murdered in apprehension that he would reveal about the murder," Sethi said.

In a related development, hundreds of BJP supporters led by the party's State unit president Samir Mohanty took out Sadbhabana rally from BJP headquarters and later tried to gherao the Assembly. The protestors demanded impartial probe into the Mahanga double murder case and arrest of Minister Pratap Jena and all other accused.

(Edited By Pradeep Singh)

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