Odisha: Oppn relents after protests, participates in House

After three consecutive adjournments over their demand for removal of Justice M M Das from the judicial commission probing the Chitfund scam in Odisha, opposition Congress and BJP today participated in the post-lunch session of the Assembly.
"As we believe in discussion and are worried over people's interest, Congress will participate in the demand discussion. However, our protest against Justice Das will continue," Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress said, slamming the government over its silence on the statements made by Justice Das at a BJD meeting in Cuttack.
Congress and BJP have been demanding resignation of Justice Das from the judicial panel for his statement.

The House was paralysed for the entire day yesterday as the opposition members staged protest.
However, the government passed the demand of two departments after the opposition members walked out of the House.
While addressing the BJD Lawyer's Forum meet in Cuttack, Justice Das reportedly said, "people had invested their money in the chit fund company out of greed to get double the invested amount. Since the state government has no role in it, there is no need for it to refund duped money to these investors. If necessary, the government should provide them financial assistance like it does during natural calamities."

Demanding a ruling from the Speaker, Mishra said, "If the Chief Minister is unable to make a statement on Justice Das's remark, at least a minister should be authorised to clarify the government's stand. Don't run away from the House."

Accusing the BJD government of having scant respect for democracy as well as the assembly, he said the budget demands are passed in absence of Opposition and government is adamant over the brute majority in the House.
"Ignoring minority voice is dangerous for democracy and for the ruling party," he said.
BJP member Pradip Purohit and Congress chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati also criticised the government for ignoring the opposition and aired the view that they relented for the better interest of the people. They too announced that the opposition demand on the removal of Justice Das would continue.

Government Chief Whip Ananta Das, however, said that the state was no way linked with Justice Das's statement.
"The government has set up a Rs 300 crore corpus fund to return money to the poor investors. There should be no doubt that the people will not get back their money," Das clarified on behalf of the government.
Earlier as soon as the question hour began in the House, the Congress and BJP members rushed to the well demanding the ouster of Justice Das from the Commission of Inquiry.
Amidst the uproar, Speaker Niranjan Puri adjourned the House thrice till 3 pm.

Meanwhile, the protest demanding Justice Das's ouster continued outside the assembly as investors in large number staged a demonstration in Cuttack, Bhubaneswar and other places.