Union minister Jual Oram's staff caught on camera carrying his shoes

RAYAGADA: Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram courted controversy after one of his staff was captured in the camera while carrying the minister's shoes at a Shiva temple in Rayagada district on Monday.

Along with other senior leaders, including Giridhar Gamang and Jayaram Pangi, Oram was here to attend party workers meet, which was arranged in a community hall close to the temple.

Sources said before entering the meeting venue the minister and other leaders took off their shoes and went inside the temple to offer prayers.

After paying obeisance while the leaders and workers went to the community hall wearing their shoes, Oram chose to keep his shoes at a distance from the temple and walk up to the venue barefoot.

"One of his personal assistants followed the minister with the latter's shoes up to the meeting place. He wore the shoes at the community hall and attended the meeting," said an eyewitness.

One of the senior most leaders in the state BJP, Oram was in news a few months back when he had allegedly slapped his senior personal assistant (PA) during the party's national executive body meeting at Janata Maidan here.

He, however, could not be contacted for comment on today's incident that raised many eyebrows and put the leader in a bad light.