Rout in trouble again

BHUBANESWAR: BJD vice-president and senior Cabinet Minister Damodar Rout has again landed himself and his party in an embarrassing situation by his reported ‘indecent remarks’ against BJP leader Lekhasri Samantsinghar.While Rout remained unmoved by the growing controversy over his alleged remarks, three senior Ministers have taken strong exception to his derogatory statement against a woman leader. The State unit BJP has demanded immediate dismissal of Rout for his statement while BJP Mahila Morcha activists tried to gherao the official residence of the Minister demanding his apology for the uncharitable remarks. Anganwadi workers also staged protest at the Lower PMG square here seeking an apology from the Minister.

While Minister for Food Supply and Consumer Welfare Surya Narayan Patro described Rout’s remarks as unfortunate, Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Maheswar Mohanty and Minister of State for Higher Education Anant Das strongly disapproved such remarks. “Everybody should have a boundary line and not cross it,” Patro said and added that such a statement from Rout was unnecessary.

Expressing similar views, Mohanty said Rout is a very senior politician and should not have made such remarks against the BJP leader. Das said politicians should maintain decency in public sphere.
Meanwhile, the BJP on Friday alleged that Rout’s remarks have proved that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s slogan ‘Maku Samman’ is only for public consumption.

Criticising Chief Minister’s silence on the matter, Samantsinghar said Rout’s remarks has denigrated all anganwadi workers who are working for the society. Describing Rout as an insensitive person, the BJP leader said such a person in a Minister’s post is a danger to society.Rout’s reported outburst against Samantsinghar came at a public meeting in Jajpur district on Wednesday in response to her statement describing the Chief Minister as ‘Dhritarashtra’ and him as ‘Sikhandi’.