Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Saturday attacked Odisha’s BJD government over the gruesome murder of ex-minister Naba Kishore Das at Brajrajnagar in Jharsuguda district allegedly by a cop.
Pradhan criticized the state’s law and order situation after he visited the residence of the slain minister at Jharsuguda.
Accompanied by party’s Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari and ex-MLA Radharani panda, the Union Minister met late Das’s son Bishal and daughter Deepali at their residence.
Pradhan came down heavily on the the Chief Minister, who is also in charge of the Home department, and claimed that the law and order machinery in the state has completely collapsed.
“An atmosphere of lawlessness prevails in Odisha and the CM must focus on law and order and take concrete steps to improve the prevailing situation,” Pradhan told reporters.
On the ongoing probe by the Crime Branch into the minister’s murder case, the senior BJP leader claimed that even the supporters of the slain Minister are not satisfied with the investigation by CB and wanted an independent inquiry by a third party.
Meanwhile, the ruling BJD reacting to the Uion Miister’s statement, asked him to refrain from politicising the crime.
BJD spokesperson and MP Sasmit Patra said the Crime Branch probe was on the right track and asked for an end to attempts to politicise the investigation.
“A retired Judge of Orissa High Court is monitoring the Crime Branch probe into the incident. So, no one should do politics in this regard,” Patra said in a statement.
Patra said: “At a time when a retired Judge of Orissa High Court is monitoring the probe, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan tries to politicize the investigation. This is not acceptable to us. The Opposition should wait for the completion of the probe.” Earlier in the day, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also visited the residence of another BJD leader and former speaker Kishore Kumar Mohanty, who passed away last year.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)