BJP Mahila Morcha Files Complaint Against Minister Pradeep Maharathy

Pipili: The BJP Pipili-Delang Mahila Morcha has lodged a complaint against senior BJD leader and minister Pradeep Maharathy at the Pipili police station, for his alleged objectionable remarks on women.

“We have lodged a complaint against Maharathy and told the officer concerned to immediately act on the complaint, failing which we will stage mass agitation in Pipili and if necessary, we will lock up the police station,” coordinator of BJP Pipili-Delang Mahila Morcha, Gitanjali Mishra told mediapersons here.

She also demanded that the BJD leader be sacked from the ministry with immediate effect.

“We have accepted the complaint and start an investigation into the matter,” IIC of Pipili police station, Sarat Chandra Sahu said.

In a statement to the media on Wednesday, Maharathy had said that during the visit of the Chief Minister, about 30,000 women will be gather with one or two husbands, their children and kin on both sides of the stretch from Pipili to Satasankha to greet him.

Protesting against the remark, the BJP Mahila Morcha activists had a scuffle with the police as they tried to barge into his official residence in the afternoon.

Talking to the mediapersons later in the day, Maharathy had said he was deeply hurt as the media has misinterpreted his statement.

“I always have profound respect for the mothers of my constituency and I am always keen to redress their grievances. Due to their blessings, I have won from my constituency for six times,” he added.

Asked whether he would tender an apology for his offensive statement, he bluntly refused. “There is no question of apology as I had no such intention and the media had quoted me out of context,” he maintained.

It may be recalled that Maharathy had made obscene remarks against the BJP MLA Radharani Panda on the first day of the winter session of the State Assembly on November 20, 2014. However, he later met her and tendered an apology.

He was drawn into another controversy on April 23 last year for his audacious statement that the suicide of the farmers begins during the session of the State Assembly.

He was thrown out of the ministry for his unwarranted statement on the much-talked-about Bebina gang rape case.