Bhawanipatna: Amid the Opposition’s clamour for his ouster from the Odisha council of ministers, Minister of State For Home Dibya Shankar Mishra’ visit to his assembly constituency, Junagarh in Odisha’s Kalahandi district, is being seen as an image-building exercise of sorts.
Mishra has been accused of patronising the main accused in the Kalahandi schoolteacher Mamita Meher murder case. The Opposition is baying for his scalp while blaming the Naveen Patnaik-led government for the rise in crimes against women in the state.
As a counter ostensibly orchestrated by the ruling BJD, hundreds of women lined up to greet Mishra in his constituency, indicating that they still reposed faith in him.
It can also be viewed as the ruling party’s response to the Opposition crying hoarse for his resignation. While the party has all along been defending Mishra, this trip shows that the BJD leadership is unlikely to accede to the BJP and the Congress’ demand.
After some initial meek voices of defence from the Conch party, the minister issued a statement, saying that he would resign if his complicity in the case is proved.
Notably, his absence from a public event addressed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in Baripada recently fuelled speculation of his possible resignation with BJP and Congress questioning as to why Naveen was shy of sharing the stage with the minister.
However, after addressing an event organised by state PSU Industrial Promotion and Investment Corporation of Odisha (IPICOL) in Bhubaneswar on October 26 to woo investors in the textile sector, Mishra began making public appearances in his Assembly constituency Junagarh and Bhawanipatna from October 30.
He visited the Kalahandi Agriculture College campus in Bhawanipatna to supervise the site of the helipad ahead of the CM’s visit and also laid the foundation stone of a park for children and women at Junagarh.
Also Read: Unfazed Odisha Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra Back In Public
To the loud shout by BJP Yuva Morcha member Deepjyoti Mund, “Resign. Why did you come out in the open after 23 days?”, who intercepted him near MSA Chhak in Bhawanipatna, the minister on Tuesday said, “Hang me if proven guilty.”
Taking part in the BJD’s ‘Mo Paribara, Odisha Paribara’ programme at Karanjakote under Golamunda block in Kalahandi district, Mishra came down heavily on the Opposition and claimed that he had never visited Sunshine English Medium School, where Mamita worked as a teacher. The main accused, Govind Sahu, is the president of the managing committee of the school.
“It is a private school up to Class VIII. I have never been to this school. It’s unfortunate that people, who have never seen Mahaling, are pointing fingers at me,” Mishra added.
The opposition has accused Mishra of regularly visiting the school being run by Sahu and even spending nights there. It is alleged that a sex racket was being run from the institution.
Earlier speaking to a local news channel, the minister said that he had no links with the incident, “I am deeply saddened and anguished by the unfortunate death of Mamita Meher. The opposition is weaving tales. The allegation raised by Congress MLA Santosh Singh Saluja is baseless. He knew that I stayed in his village on that day for a programme. The Raipur link is also false and baseless,” he said.
Also Read: Mamita Meher & Govind Sahu Were In Raipur From Sept 20-23: Congress’ Santosh Saluja
