Odisha Congress slams Mohammed Moquim's letter, calls it ill-timed

Odisha Congress has sharply reacted to the letter written by former Barabati-Cuttack MLA Mohammed Moquim, stating that the party is upset over the manner in which the letter was discussed in the media.

PCC Media Cell chairman Arabinda Das on Monday stated that at a time when the Congress is agitating in Delhi over a major issue, the timing of the letter surfacing just four days earlier and becoming a subject of public debate has raised serious concerns within the party.

Terming Moquim's allegations as baseless, Das said it was inappropriate to target Rahul Gandhi in such a manner. He further questioned the intent behind the letter, especially when Moquim's daughter continues to be associated with the Congress, and asked what the letter was actually meant to indicate.

"Everybody has the right to express dissatisfaction over the internal affairs of the party. However, he (Moquim) didn't even wait for 48 hours. He expressed it in the media. That means the letter was given to the media for publication just four days before the huge rally. His intention is very clear from it. Anybody could say if it was meant to integrate the party or disturb it," said PCC Media Cell chairman Arabinda Das.

In response to Moquim's revolt, former PCC president Niranjan Patnaik said, "This is an internal matter of the Congress party. Whoever the individual may be, it is not appropriate to take such issues to the media. Dissatisfaction exists among leaders in all political parties, and it is essential for the party to address such concerns internally. It cannot be said that there are no dissatisfied leaders within our party."

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"The party leadership should have made efforts to resolve Moquim Babu’s grievances. We must also not forget his significant contribution to the party. After 1980, Congress had not won in Cuttack, but after years of hard work, the party won there twice under his leadership. His daughter was also elected from the same constituency, and her performance has been very commendable. After the Nuapada by-election, certain remarks were made suggesting that some sections were no longer required, which might have hurt him. In this matter, we all share responsibility. The issue should have been resolved within the party," he added.

Notably, hours after his expulsion from the Odisha unit of the Indian National Congress (INC), Moquim on Monday said that he had done nothing wrong and had simply highlighted what was wrong within the party.