Bhubaneswar: Finally, the Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy of the Naveen Patnaik’s cabinet had to go. There developed huge pressure on the Minister of Odisha to quit his post in the wake of his controversial remark on the acquittal of two rape-accused.
When a lower court released the accused last month in the case of rape and murder he had welcomed the decision saying that that was a victory of truth. “The victim girl got justice.” the minister had said.
This remark by a Minister proved too much insensible to encourage aggressive reactions from several sections of the society particularly from the women fronts of political outfits putting the Naveen government in an awkward position just before the election.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a public rally in Baripada on Saturday had also raised the issue. He had urged the state government to seriously investigate into the matter again “so that a strong message goes out to the people with the demonic tendency.”
These developments ultimately led to Maharathi’s resignation on Sunday. However Mr. Maharathi, after his resignation, said that he had resigned on his own as he didn’t want his party in trouble due to him.
Mr. Maharathi had resigned earlier in 2012 also when this particular case of rape and murder meted to a girl in Pipili had come to light and his providing protection to the accused became the talking point.
The family members of the victim have been claiming that the accused were having political protection of the Minister Pradeep Maharathy, the legislator of Pipili
Leave a Reply