By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR/NAYAGARH: The possible exit of Odisha Higher Education and Agriculture Minister Dr Arun Sahoo from Naveen Patnaik’s Cabinet may further aggravate the already media hit, Pari issue of Nayagarh and main Opposition, BJP with Congress in next, will get a permanent issue to grill Chief Minister Patnaik and as well as his Government in Odisha, political experts said on Monday.
Since BJP raising the issue from very beginning and Government had already ordered SIT probe , if Minister either asked to resign or faced expulsion , it will sent a very wrong message and it will be added more fuel to Oppositions allegations of Minister Dr Sahoo’s role in Pari issue in his home district of Nayagarh.
“Dr Sahoo was only among BJD’s young face, who was inducted in cabinet having past Cabinet experience while many leading faces were left out till today from Cabinet, that proves, Dr Sahoo’s honesty and loyalty to Chief Minister Patnaik,” one analyst said.
“If Naveen Patnaik sacked Dr Sahoo or asked him to tender his resignation, it will only help BJP and Congress and the ruling BJD will gain nothing out of it,” he argued.
It may be noted here that, Minister Dr Sahoo , was among political leaders from undivided Puri and Khorda, who has a strong local support base and having mass reach among College and University Students and youths. Dr Sahoo promoted many present day Students and Youth leaders of BJD and those now calling shorts at Party’s Forest Park State Headquarters’.
“It is a sensitive issue and the matter should not be politicised. During my entire political career, I personally do not support any kind of violence. I welcome the Crime Branch probe decision by the State government and hopeful that justice will be delivered,” said Dr Sahoo. The Minister further said, “My aim is to see that the family of Pari gets justice. The persons who are involved in the crime should not be left free. I urge everybody not to politicise the matter but rather our focus should be on unravelling the truth.”
The Pari incident had already sparked a massive public outrage in Odisha with the Opposition political outfits targeting the State government for the alleged lapses in investigating the murder case and if Minister Dr Sahoo shown the door, it will create more trouble for Naveen Patnaik than political solace.
BJP and Congress has been demanding Minister Dr’s resignation while the Government has taken action against the Inspector-in-charge of Nayagarh Sadar Police station Rinarani Sahu placing her under suspension and transferring Sadar Police Station, Nayagarh SDPO Niranjan Padhi to Kandhamal as DSP. The deceased girl’s mother Soudamini Sahu had alleged that the IIC of Sadar Police Station, Sahu had misbehaved with her and soft-pedalled the murder investigation at the behest of Minister Dr Sahoo.
