Odisha Assembly rocked over Congress leader Ajoy Kumar’s remark

By Sukanta Kumar Mohanty

Bhubaneswar, July 14: The Odisha Legislative Assembly on Thursday witnessed uproarious scenes as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a scathing attack on the Congress protesting its spokesman Ajoy Kumar’s ‘highly objectionable’ statement on NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu.

As the House assembled and question hour business started, BJP chief whip Mohan Majhi raised the issue and urged Speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha to allow a special discussion on the matter. He also urged the BJD and Congress lawmakers to unanimously pass a censure motion against Ajoy Kumar.

 The Congress Legislature Party Leader, Narasingha Mishra, took exception to the BJP chief whip Mr Majhi’s demand. He said it would be imprudent to allow a discussion on the matter as Ajoy Kumar was not the member of the Odisha Legislative Assembly.

Suresh Kumar Routray, another Congress lawmaker, criticised the BJP for its insistence to discuss “such issues which have no relevance to the House.”

“We are proud that Droupadi Murmu being an Odia girl is stepping up to become the President of India but the way BJP is using her name to politicise the matter is unfortunate,” said senior Congress leader Sura Routray.

Bent on their demand, the BJP lawmakers rushed to the well of the House, forcing the Speaker Mr Arukha to adjourn the House till 4 pm.

On Wednesday, Congress leader Ajoy Kumar said that NDA’s presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu represents a “very evil philosophy of India” and so she should not be made a “symbol of Adivasi.”

The development has evoked sharp reactions from all around, especially the BJP in Odisha which has termed Kumar’s statements as utterly condemnable. The party has said that such a statement from the Congress reflects the party’s anti-adivasi and anti-Odia sentiments.

The Bhubaneswar district unit of BJP took out a protest rally from the party’s state headquarters to Ram Mandir against the issue and burnt the effigy of Ajoy Kumar.

BJP national vice president Jay Panda too lambasted the Congress leader Ajoy Kumar for making such objectionable statements.

“Droupadi Murmu not only has laudably completed her role as a minister and the Governor of a state but with her talent and work ethics has made it all the way to the top where she is now. So making such a controversial remark against her is unacceptable,” Mr Panda said in his reaction.

Senior BJD leader Debi Mishra also condemned the statements made by Congress leader Ajoy Kumar but urged both the BJP and the Congress to cooperate for a peaceful ambience in the Assembly proceedings.