Bhubaneswar: Embroiled in a major controversy over Rajya Sabha member Sasmit Patra’s support to waqf Bill, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has been under stinging attack from within the outfit as well as from other political parties in Odisha.
Adding to the BJD woes amid a surcharged political atmosphere, Congress MLA from Barabati-Cuttack Sofia Firdous mounted a scathing attack on the regional party and its Rajya Sabha MP Debashish Samantaray.
Accusing Debashish of extending indirect support to the Waqf Bill by staying away from voting, she alleged that the BJD MP is now misleading the public with evasive remarks.
Stating that Sasmit Patra openly stated that he voted in favour of Waqf Bill, the Congress MLA sought to know as to why Debashish Samantaray is trying to mislead people by stating that he walked out.
“A BJD MP claimed that he abstained from voting on Waqf Bill in the interest of people of Barabati-Cuttack. But, if he had some emotion for the people of constituency, he should have voted against the Bill. Sasmit Patra said he supported the Bill. But by staging a walkout, Debashish Samantaray virtually supported the BJP and the Bill,”Sofia alleged.
The misleading statement of Debashish clearly shows that a deal was struck as part of attempts to cover up scams that took place in the state during the 24-year rule of BJD, she claimed.
“There was 100 per cent deal to escape action for all the scams and corruption during the 24-year BJD rule,” the Congress legislator claimed.
Sofia further alleged that several BJD leaders were entering into secret deals in order to shield themselves from political backlash and are now trying to mislead the people.
The Congress MLA said BJD leaders struck a deal to save themselves. Debashish, too, supported the Bill but is trying to play safe by using confusing language, she said.
Such behaviour is not just political opportunism but a direct betrayal of the sentiments of the Muslim community in Odisha, especially in Cuttack, which has a significant minority population.
“This is nothing short of cheating the Muslim community. The people trusted them to protect their rights, but now they are playing politics for their own gain,” she added, slamming the BJD leadership for not standing up for secular values.
The Congress leader sought to know as to why, despite a prior internal decision to oppose the bill, some BJD MPs ended up supporting it.
