Oppn Slams Minister’s Statement On Pipili Gang Rape Case, Demands His Ouster

Bhubaneswar: Taking strong exception to the atrocious statement of Agriculture minister and Pipili MLA Pradeep Maharathy on the verdict of the court in the much-talked-about gang rape and murder of a woman in Pipili in 2011, the Opposition Congress and BJP on Thursday demanded his immediate ouster and sought an unconditional apology from him.

Protesting against the audacious statement of Maharathy, slogan-shouting activists of the Odisha Pradesh Mahila Congress with brooms in their hands arrived at the official residence of the minister here in the morning and had a scuffle with the police as they tried to barge into his residence. The irate Mahila Congress activists also hurled tomatoes and eggs at the residence of the minister. Police later arrested some of them.

Talking to mediapersons, Mahila Congress president Sumitra Jena said the minister, after the acquittal of the two accused by the court, had told the media that the justice has been meted out to the victim and her family. “The statement of the minister, who holds a constitutional portfolio, speaks volumes of the anti-woman attitude of the BJD government. We want his immediate sacking from the ministry and an unconditional apology from him. If our demand for his ouster is not met, we will intensify the agitation,” she maintained.

Protesting against the statement of Maharathy, the State BJP on Thursday demanded his ouster from the ministry within 24 hours and a CBI probe into the case.

“The statement of the Agriculture minister on the acquittal of the two accused in the Pipili gang rape and murder is grossly unfortunate and utterly regretful. The people of Odisha should strongly condemn his audacious and remorseless statement. The Chief Minister, who is the prime accused in this incident, has no concern towards the women and the Dalits,” BJP spokesperson Pitambar Acharya told mediapersons at the party office here.

Stating that his party would take out a weeklong candle rally in all urban areas of the state from today, he said if the Chief Minister does not sack Maharathy from his ministry, BJP will stage a statewide agitation.

Among others, State BJP Mahila Morcha president Pravati Parida and Aparajita Sarangi were present.

Notably, the Additional District Judge Court, Bhubaneswar, had acquitted prime accused Prashant Pradhan and his brother Sukant on December 24 due to lack of evidence.

The 19-year-old victim of Arjungoda village of Pipili in Puri district had gone into a coma after being allegedly gang-raped on November 28, 2011. She was found unconscious and in a semi-naked state in a paddy field in her village. After remaining in coma for over six months, she died at SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack in June 2012.

Though the incident had taken place on November 28, 2011, the victim was admitted to Capital Hospital on January 9, 2012, from where she was later shifted to the SCB on January 11, 2013, following the intervention of the Orissa High Court.

Following the incident, the state government had dismissed former Pipili IIC Amulya Champatiray from his service. However, the Orissa High Court later upheld the verdict of the State Administrative Tribunal (SAT) which had ruled that no government employee can be dismissed without departmental proceedings.