Asked about the buzz in the political circle that he has resigned from the post of chief whip, Bahinipati said, “Yes, I have resigned due to personal reason. I have been the chip whip since long. How long will I hold that position?”
The legislator, however, did not elaborate further on what personal reason drove him to take the decision.
The stepping down of Bahinipati from the chief whip post when there is growing demand for change in guard in the State unit of Congress has created buzz in the political circles.
The Jeypore MLA, however, asserted that he was not lobbying for the top post.
“It is true that I have given my resignation, but I do not possess any desire for the top post. I am not lobbying for the post of PCC president,” Bahinipati said.
The lawmaker reiterated that he would not hesitate if an offer for the coveted post is made to him.
Bahinipati also confirmed that Congress legislative party leader Narasingha Mishra has also resigned from his post.
Her outburst came at a time when preparations are underway in the party for the upcoming Panchayat polls in the State.
An angry Bahinipati said on Monday that she will not step into the party office until the dispute was resolved.
Speaking about the consequences of the infighting within the party, Meenakshi said, “The rift in the district Congress will have its impact on the Panchayat polls.”
Meanwhile, refuting the allegations, Niranjan Patnaik said, “I do not want to make any comments on the internal affairs of the party. The President will be responsible for anything that happens in the party. There should be no confusions in it.”
It is pertinent to mention here that senior Odisha Congress leader and Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati had on Wednesday threatened to resign from his post blaming indiscipline by the State party unit chief Niranjan Patnaik.
Citing the presence of former Congress MLA Kailash Kulesika on the dais during a press meeting by party MP from Koraput, Saptagiri Ulaka, Bahinipati said that he was extremely disappointed on not being informed about Kulesika's re-induction into the party fold.
The preparatory meeting of the Congress party was held on Monday ahead of the State In-Charge Chellakumar’s visit to Odisha on August 31.
The meeting was attended by the OPCC President, Supervisors and presidents of 33 organisational districts.
Citing the presence of former Congress MLA Kailash Kulesika on the dais during a press meeting by party MP from Koraput, Saptagiri Ulaka, Bahinipati said that he was extremely disappointed on not being informed about Kulesika's re-induction into the party fold.
"Kulesika had resigned from Congress but despite that, he was invited to the stage during the press meeting. If he had been welcomed back into the party by OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik, why was I not informed about the same even though I am the party's district unit president," questioned Bahinipati.
"This is a matter of self-respect for me and if my dignity is harmed in any way, I will resign from the Assembly straight away," Bahinipati bluntly said.
He further lambasted Niranjan Patnaik's leadership in the Congress unit of Odisha.
"He (Niranjan) is incompetent to lead the Congress and this is why the party is going down instead of growing in the State. I will approach the party high command in this regard," threatened Bahinipati.
Neither Kulesika, Ulaka, or OPCC chief Niranjan Patnaik are yet to comment anything in this regard.
"The bandh will be observed in a peaceful manner. We urge the people to support the move of Congress. All government offices, schools & colleges and business establishments will remain shut. Buses,trucks and other vehicles will go off the road," Congress chief whip and local MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati said.
BJP leader Jayaram Pangi has extended personal support to the bandh call. "If any outfit, political party or individual observes bandh or does something to pressurise the government, I would support personally," Pangi said.
On the other hand, the BJD has urged the Congress party to refrain from doing politics on such a sensitive issue. "We want stringent punishment against the culprits and their arrest at the earliest. But, the Congress should stop politicising the matter," BJD leader Rabi Narayan Nanda said.
Meanwhile, the special team of Crime Branch returned to Bhubaneswar after visiting Kunduli health centre, Cobra jawans’ camp in Sunabeda, Ralegada BSF camp and interrogating several persons in this connection.
Six days after the incident, the perpetrators are still at large even as five teams of police are investigating the case.
https://youtu.be/LLfmmlttPgQ
"Collection of 'PC' is rampant in the Third Floor (read Secretariat). So, the officials there should be taken to task first. As a legislator, I will soon enter the floor and launch the anti-PC drive from there. We will beat them severely. I dare the CM to arrest me on the spot if he has guts," Bahinipati told media outside the Assembly soon after the discussion on the issue.
During zero hour, Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra criticised the government while citing an example of an engineer in Bolangir who was allegedly transferred under the pressure of MP AU Singhdeo as he opposed graft in his office. But, official who replaced the engineer has faced a number of vigilance cases, Mishra said.
With the support from BJP legislature party chief KV Singhdeo, Mishra also came down heavily on government over the controversial statement of minister Damodar Rout who had opined against complete removal of 'PC' culture.
Rout recently stirred up a controversy saying that removing 'PC' completely is a difficult task as the culture has been prevalent since British rule," Rout said.
As soon as Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik started his statement on the flyover collapse in the House, members of the BJP and the Congress moved to the well shouting slogans.
Though the Chief Minister apprised the House of the steps taken and issuance of an order for probe, the Opposition members were unhappy over the statement and demanded the CM’s resignation.
Patnaik said prompt actions were taken immediately after the flyover collapse and a case has been registered under Sections 304 (culpable homicide), 337 (causing hurt), 338 (causing grievous hurt) and 34 (criminal act) of IPC against Panda Infra Project (India) Pvt Ltd, Bansidhar Praharaj, deputy executive engineer and Kishore Kumar Rout, assistant engineer.
Praharaj and Rout have been placed under suspension, the CM said adding that executive engineer Dukhabandhu Behera has also been suspended for prima facie lapses.
The case is under investigation and a high-level inquiry by a committee comprising the chief engineer of designs and chief engineer of roads has been ordered.
The committee has been asked to submit its report within a week, he informed the house.
"My government will ensure that stringent and exemplary action is taken against all persons responsible for the tragic incident," the chief minister said.
The Opposition members were, however, unhappy with his statement and kept up their demand for his resignation.
Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress and party legislators had moved separate notices seeking immediate discussion on the matter and suspending the Question Hour.
"It is unfortunate that the Speaker did not give me an opportunity to speak even though I had moved a motion seeking a detailed discussion on the flyover collapse issue," Mishra said.
However, the Speaker allowed the Question Hour, leading to vociferous protests from the Opposition.
As the House could not function due to the pandemonium, Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat convened an all party meeting which agreed that the time will be fixed at the Business Advisory Committee for a discussion on the flyover collapse issue in the assembly.
The members of opposition BJD, Congress and BJP attended the meeting and participated in the business of the house in the evening.
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https://youtu.be/ynByAN3wfz0
The Committee issued the notice for the second time asking the three leaders- Anant Sethi, Tara Prasad Bahinipati and Prafulla Majhi- to explain why disciplinary action would not be taken against them for criticising the state leadership publicly.
After receiving the notice, MLA and Opposition chief whip Tara Bahinipati further intensified his voice against the discipline panel. "The person who has served notice has little knowledge about the Congress constitution. What I have said is completely correct and I had said it for the betterment of the party", Bahinipati added.
The three leaders had earlier come out public against AICC general secretary in-charge of Odisha BK Hariprasad and OPCC president Prasad Harichandan holding them responsible for party's dismal performance in the panchayat elections concluded last month.
The strength of the Congress, which had won 128 Zilla Parishad seats in 2012 panchayat polls, was reduced to only 60 seats this time. The party also slipped to the third position behind the BJP in the polls. While the ruling BJD candidates won in 473 Zilla Parishad seats, the BJP captured 297 zones.
Unable to run the proceedings, the Speaker adjourned the House till 12.45 PM. However, normalcy returned in the House after the adjournment.
Raising the issue during Zero Hour, Congress chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati referred to the shocking news on the gang rape of a college girl by some anti-socials inside a running car on the road between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar on March 23 published in the front page of Odia vernacular daily ‘Dharitri’ on March 26.
Alleging that no action had been taken against the anti-socials so far, he demanded a clarification from the chief minister.
Supporting his contention, the Congress members rushed to the Well of the House and drew the attention of the Deputy Speaker to the issue.
Though BJP member KV Singhdeo wanted to raise another issue during Zero Hour, he was not allowed to speak by the Congress members as they stuck to their demands.
Amid the commotion, the Deputy Speaker adjourned the House till 12.45 PM.
Talking to OTV after the adjournment of the House, Bahinipati said the college girl, picked up by a private taxi service from Cuttack, was repeatedly raped by two anti-socials who were sitting on the back seat of the car. However, the girl managed to escape from the car and was rescued by the people after it arrived in Bhubaneswar.
“It is really shocking to know that the police is yet to arrest the anti-socials. Why has the BJD government, which always talks about respect to the women, not taken any action till date? We demand a clarification from the chief minister in this regard since he is in charge of the Home portfolio and it is his responsibility to make a statement in the House,” he demanded.
Asked about the resentment of BJP member KV Singhdeo, who was not allowed to raise his issue in the House, Bahinipati said the Congress always gives respect to the BJP leader.
“The Congress had no intention to restrain the BJP leader. Since it is an issue of respect to a woman, it should have been discussed in the House," he said.
On Singhdeo's allegation that both BJD and Congress party have secret ties ans they are not allowing him to speak in the House every time he wanted to raise an issue, Bahinipati scotched the same.
"Rather they (BJP and BJD) are old friends due to the coalition government at both Centre and State," he mentioned.
BJP member Pradip Purohit said the gang rape of a college girl is no doubt a very sensitive issue. It clearly reflects the gross failure of the police and its intelligence network. “The State Police and the State Intelligence wing are busy in providing security to the chief minister. Neither the police has made any attempt to nab the anti-socials nor has it shown any urgency to trace them out. It seems that the police is trying to hush up the matter. We strongly condemn the inaction of the police and the state administration,” he observed.
But the BJP leader said it would have been better if the Congress members had allowed KV Singhdeo to make his statement on Adarsh Vidyalayas. "The Congress could have raised the matter after Singhdeo made his statement. We were ready to support the Congress and demanded a clarification from the chief minister," he said.
In his reaction, BJD spokesperson Dibyashankar Mishra said the government had set up special courts to punish the criminals. “While the state government is keen on providing adequate security to women, the allegation of the Opposition that the government is trying to hush up such a sensitive case is grossly unfortunate,” he pointed out.
Mishra further said while the issue needs to be debated in the House, the attempt made by the Congress to stall the House proceedings is unjustified. “Police is trying its best to track down the criminals and bring them to book,” he added.
Hundreds of villagers of Kundurukhal led by Congress leader and Jeypore MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati marched towards the police station and raised slogans protesting police inaction in connection with a theft case.
According to sources, residents of Kundurukhal area on Thursday had detained a youth on charges of theft and later had handed over the accused to the Sadar Police. However, it is alleged that the cops released the youth after interrogation.
Protesting the release of the youth, Tara Bahinipati said "The accused who belongs to a nearby village was released from police custody yesterday at around 1 PM after intervention of some political leaders. I want that the youth should be detained once again and the matter should be resolved in presence of the police and the representatives of both the villages."
Meanwhile, comments from police could not be obtained.
Moreover, while the investment commitments made have touched over Rs 5.5 lakh crore, the actual realisation till date has been mere Rs 46,311 crore. The State has a high of 11 districts that are still reeling under industrial impoverishment.
Replying to a question in the State Assembly, Industry minister Dibya Shankar Mishra has placed such grim facts regarding State's stride in industrialisation. He informed that only 51 proposals have taken off, the worrying fact is nearly 10 of them had stopped their operations.
The hard stats look distressing when seen in the context of State government's massive blitzkrieg for the last 4-years in wooing the domestic and foreign investors. Since 2016, the government had held two mega Make in Odisha conclaves, 24 road shows et al to hard sell destination Odisha.
Prior to last year's mother of all conclaves, Make in Odisha-2.0, the State had held road shows and investors meet in countries like Japan, Korea, China, Italy and Saudi Arabia. And at the conclusion, the State had announced the big bang numbers of a whopping Rs 4.19 lakh crore commitments and grabbed the headlines.
However, in the Assembly, Minister Mishra submitted a written reply stating that during the last ten-year period, government has inked 301 MoUs with investment commitments to the tune of Rs 5.5 lakh crore only.
The minister has blamed the market factors, low ore price, poor financial condition of such units, raw material crunch owing to closure of mines et al for the closure of ten industrial units in the last decade.
Among the ten units closed, Keonjhar Sponge Iron Ltd is one among them. As per Minister's reply, the unit was closed in 2012. A high of over 400 contract employees were retrenched. There were 454 regular employees and nearly 247 of them had taken retirement.
A reality check drops a shocker. Retrenched employees have been sitting in dharana for over 4 years or 1,537 days. Even, Odisha HC has directed to consider the just demand of the employees. But the actual progress on ground is nil. The mental and financial stress had taken a toll of 24 lives till date, claimed Ras Behari Nayak, a worker protesting at the dharana.
This episode has clearly blown up the State government's mask of intent for industrialisation and employment in the State.
Terming the assertions of State government having a road map for fast industrialisation a smoke screen, BJP Chief Whip Mohan Majhi said minister's statement has nailed the lie.
Senior BJP leader and Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari blamed State's lack of intent. The government has failed miserably in providing the logistics and right ambience to boost industrial investment, he claimed.
Congress veteran and Jeypore MLA Tara Bahinipati criticised government's industrial over drives like Make in Odisha conclaves. "Despite tall claims, the industrial scenario is zero in Odisha," he ridiculed.
Responding to a question, the minister said that cases pertaining to PC collection were registered in nine districts of the State, while maximum nine cases have been registered in Dhenkanal district since 2012.
Later, the House witnessed unruly scenes as the members of Opposition parties expressed grave concerns over the issue and criticized the State government. The Congress members alleged that PC collection is on the rise and the government is only taking actions against the junior officials, while the big fishes involved in corruption are roaming freely.
"Starting from panchayat level to secretariat, PC collection is rampant. Be it old-age pension, Mo Kudia scheme or any other schemes, all the officials and people's representatives are collecting PC, " said Congress member Tara Bahinipati.
Similarly, BJP members also targeted the State government. The Leader of Opposition (LoP), Pradipta Naik said all the junior engineers (JE) across the State are collecting PC to pass bills. "The State government has failed to curb PC collection. No JE is passing bills without taking PC from the contactors," Naik said.
"The government is taking actions to curb PC collection and we are working to stop such practice," said ruling BJD MLA, Latika Pradhan.
On July 16, the minister informed the House that the State government has taken action against 836 government officials, who were involved in corruption in government housing schemes in last two years.
Senior Congress leader Tara Prasad Bahinipati, however, stated that he would urge the party high command not to change the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) leadership and Niranjan Patnaik should continue till the upcoming civic polls in the State.
“The change in leadership will not favour party as civic body polls are round the corner. I will urge the party high command to back Niranjan Patnaik,” said Bahinipati.
Bahnipati further stated that though Congress workers at the grassroots level are united, there is some divide among the senior leaders.
“I urge senior leaders including Jayadev Jena, Sarat Rout and Niranjan Patnaik to come together so that Congress performs well in the urban body elections in Odisha,” Bahinipati added.
Congress MLA Sura Routray, on the other hand, said “The meeting has been convened so that Congress can be strengthened before 2024.”
Not only Congress, other major political parties including BJD and BJP are also leaving no stone unturned to rectify the mistakes and are trying to set their own houses in order.
BJP’s membership drive, which began on July 6, concluded today and party will soon gear up to appoint State president and block and district presidents as part of its strategy to reorganize the party at the grassroots level.
Though speculations are rife that party might re-appoint Basant Panda as State president, names of Sundergarh MP Jual Oram and Vice-president Samir Mohanty are also doing rounds.
“From booth committees to the central committee, new leaders will be appointed and everything will be done in a democratic manner,” said BJP spokesperson, Golak Mohapatra.
The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) too is not far behind in pacifying the discontent among several leaders by rehabilitating them in key organizations. Recently, 36 leaders were appointed as chairman of several corporations and now the party wants to reorganize the youth, students and women’s wings. It is believed that party supremo and CM Naveen Patnaik might appoint new leaders for all the party units in a day or two.
“Be it booth committee formation or any other work, BJD is focusing on reorganization which is currently underway,” said BJD MLA, Amar Satpathy.
“Care Hospitals is involved in illegal kidney transplantation and it has links with a Pakistani man,” alleged Bahinipati.
Speaking on the issue, Leader of Opposition Pradipta Naik said, “Apart from violation of several guidelines and transfer of government land to Care Hospitals without obtaining NOC, it has been found that a Pakistani businessman is a stakeholder in the Bhubaneswar based-hospital.”
Ruling-BJD MLA Amar Satpathy said, “As per allegations, the hospital has not taken NOC from the government for land transfers. We are expecting that the government will soon launch an investigation.”
On the other hand, Care Hospitals authorities have refuted the allegations.
“The allegations that we are being run by a Pakistani businessman is completely baseless. We are controlled by a US-based firm,” said Chief Operating Officer of Care Hospitals, Gurit Kaur Sethi.
A press release from the hospital authorities reads, "Care Hospitals Bhubaneswar is in process of obtaining the Kidney Transplantation License and till date not a single Transplant has been performed in the hospital. Care Hospitals Management is aware that some unscrupulous people are trying to tarnish the image of Care Hospitals. It is pertinent to note here that Care Hospitals has already issued legal notices to two local newspapers of Bhubaneswar who have published wrong, misleading and fabricated news in their newspapers without authenticating the veracity of the news published."
Here is the press release by Care Hospitals
Later in the day, Odisha Health Minister Naba Das said, "Respecting the allegations of the Opposition, a probe has been ordered. Probe has begun and a raid was conducted. Required action will be taken after the probe."
Earlier today, a three-member team led by the Drugs Controller carried out a raid at Care Hospitals to inspect medicine inventory, invoices of patients among other things.
Many youth Congress activists led by party MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati staged demonstration in the Master Canteen area of capital city Bhubaneswar protesting the incident and also demanded justice for the 19-year-old woman from Uttar Pradesh who was allegedly gang-raped and murdered.
The activists reportedly burnt posters and effigies of PM Narendra Modi and UP CM Yogi Adityanath as a mark of protest.
Similar scenes were witnessed in Koraput, Rayagada and several other parts of Odisha.
“Congress will never tolerate such misbehaviour and the treatment meted out to Rahul Gandhi. Massive protests will be launched across Odisha,” stated Bahinipati. He has also given an open threat to all the Union Ministers when he said the latter will not be allowed to enter Odisha under any circumstances.
Union ministers will not be allowed to enter #Odisha: Congress MLA Tara Bahinipati
Odisha #Congress launches protest at Bhubaneswar over detention of Rahul & Priyanka Gandhi on way to meet Hathras rape victim's family; activists burn posters of PM & UP CM pic.twitter.com/4tuNNE1aRu
— OTV (@otvnews) October 1, 2020
Condemning the detention of Gandhis, OPCC chief Niranjan Patnaik said, “The incident has shown us that the BJP government wants to crush every democratic voice with brute force. But let me tell them, they can never succeed in their sinister designs. Behaviour of Uttar Pradesh Police is most unfortunate and undemocratic. In a democratic country, political party leaders have no rights to express their sympathy to a girl who has been murdered. People of India should stand against how the present government of India and UP want to run their show to remain in power. All of us should protest this type of mentality and behaviour to save democracy in India.”
As per reports, the 19-year-old was allegedly raped at a village in Hathras in UP by four men on September 14 and breathed her last on Tuesday (September 30) at Delhi's Safdarjung hospital, creating a nation-wide furore. The alleged forceful cremation of the woman in the dead of the night also raised serious concerns.
In response, Hathras DM said, “The allegations that funeral was conducted without family's consent are wrong. The father and brother gave their consent to conduct the last rites at night. Family members were also present at the funeral.”
On the other hand, ADG (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar reportedly stated that the forensic report makes clear the woman was not raped.
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