Bhubaneswar: BJP MLA Radharani Panda today sought Speaker Niranjan Pujari's intervention in the 'Radhe Maa' comment made against her by senior BJD MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain in the house.
Panda along with her party colleagues met Pujari during the day and formally lodged a complaint against Swain for calling her Radhe Maa during the zero hour of the House yesterday.
Panda said she was "mentally shocked" over the remark and added that "it was nothing less than ragging for me. It has also hurt my pride as a woman."
"I have also named another BJD MLA Debasis Samantray who at the time of Swain's remark was laughing. Other BJD members were enjoying when Swain passed such a comment," Radharani said in a written complaint.
Panda was speaking on the alleged negligence of the western region of the state and had openly supported the agitators who observed a bandh demanding creation of separate Koshal state by bifurcating Odisha, when Swain passed the remark.
Panda had criticised BJD for insulting a woman member in the House, while the remark was denounced by many MLAs cutting across party lines.