Bhubaneswar: The House Committee of the Odisha Assembly on Friday decided to summon journalist Abhijit Iyer Mitra in connection with his derogatory remarks on Odisha, Sun Temple at Konark and Lord Jagannath.
Briefing mediapersons after the presiding over the meeting of the House Committee, leader of the Opposition Narasingha Mishra said the Committee had requested Abhijit to appear before the committee in person at 11 am at the State Assembly hall no-55 on October 11.
He said as the allegations brought by the members cutting across party lines during the privilege motion in the State Assembly have the veracity of Abhijit’s derogatory remarks, the House Committee will conduct a detailed investigation into the matter.
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It may be recalled that on the last day of the monsoon session of the State Assembly on September 20, Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat had approved formation of a House Committee to probe the derogatory remarks by Abhijit.
The Committee led by the Leader of the Opposition Narasingha Mishra as the chairperson with Debi Prasad Mishra, KV Singhdeo, Pramila Mallick, Arun Sahu and Sanjay Dasburma as other members.
The Committee will submit its report on the first day of the next session of the State Assembly.
Watch: Abhijit Iyer Mitra’s Joy Ride Over Konark & Puri
The formation of the House Committee was decided at the all-party meeting convened by the Speaker after the members cutting across the party lines had vehemently protested and criticised the outrageous statement of Abhijit on Odisha, Lord Jagannath and the Chief Minister during the privilege motion moved by the Congress.
Both Abhijit and his journalist friend Arati Tikoo Singh had gone on an aerial tour to Konark and Puri with the former Kendrapara MP Baijanant Panda in his private helicopter recently.
