Bhubaneswar: In a sudden move, senior Congress leader of Koraput Krushna Chandra Sagaria on Tuesday resigned as the Member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.
“I have decided to resign from the membership of the Odisha Legislative Assembly. Please treat this letter as my resignation letter,” Sagaria said in his letter to the Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat
Talking to mediapersons here, he said he had made up his mind to resign for his failure in providing justice to the Kunduli minor gang rape victim despite being the people’s representative of Koraput.
“The gang rape of the 15-year-old minor girl in Kunduli that took place on October 10, 2017, had triggered a statewide commotion. The hapless Dalit girl, deprived of justice, later committed suicide at her house at Musaguda village on January 22 this year. Though she had narrated her ordeal before the Governor, Chief Minister and leaders of all political parties and prayed for justice, her appeal fell on deaf ears forcing her to take the extreme step. Being a people’s representative I had raised the issue at all levels and fought valiantly to give justice to the victim. After her death, I have asked myself time and again about my continuation as a people’s representative of Koraput,” Sagaria said.
He also said that though the victim had claimed that she would identify the culprit, the administration ignored it. “Is justice meant only for the top bureaucrats and leaders in Odisha? Every day, I feel that the victim is asking me why I could not give her justice. Finally, I decided that I do not have the moral right to remain as I had failed to utilise the constitutional status which the people had bestowed on me,” Sagaria said.
Stating that he will work for the rights of the Dalits and visit all villages in Koraput district, he said that a convention of the Dalits and tribals will be held in Bhubaneswar on December 6 to mark the death anniversary of the father of the Constitution Baba Saheb Ambedkar. “At the convention, we will take a pledge to fight for the rights of the backward communities,” he added.
