Biju Janta Dal (BJD) on Friday announced the name of Dipali Das, daughter of late Odisha Health Minister Naba Kishore Das, as the party's candidate for the by-election to Jharsuguda Assembly constituency. The announcement comes close on the heels of the Opposition's attack on Naveen Patnaik government over the killing of Naba Kishore Das.
Opposition accuses BJD govt of trying to suppress killing of Naba Das
Opposition BJP and Congress on Wednesday created a ruckus in the Odisha Assembly accusing thePatnaik government of making all efforts to suppress the killing of former minister Das in Jharsuguda district. The allegation was made by both BJP and Congress during Zero Hour in the Assembly.
Das was gunned down by a policeman Gopal Das, exactly 60 days before on January 29, 2023, at Gandhi Chowk at Brajrajnagar in Jharsuguda district.
The minister was shot dead by Gopal Das while he was on his way to attend an official function. The issue was raised by Leader of Opposition Jaynarayan Mishra of BJP who claimed that the Crime Branch of Odisha Police which is probing into the incident, has not revealed the motive of the crime.
"I have already said that some influential persons had hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Das for which the CB was not revealing the motive behind the murder," the BJP veteran said, adding that the case must be handed over to the CBI as the state government's crime branch has "failed" to do justice. He said: "A government employee (ASI Gopal Das) killing the government (then minister Naba Das) is not a small matter. How can the state government probe into the matter."
The LoP said that once the assembly session comes to end on April 6, there will be none to raise question on the state government's alleged attempt to suppress the Naba Das killing.
They have done this in other cases also in the past, he alleged.
The BJP leader was supported by Congress Legislature Party Leader (CLP) Narasingha Mishra. He alleged, "the government is getting mad to prove Gopal Das as mad despite the medical board and the court saying that the accused has no mental illness."
The Congress leader alleged that the government is an accused in the Naba Das killing case as a policeman has opened fire on the minister. Therefore, the state government's probe cannot be free and neutral.
He demanded an SIT probe into the matter.
Also read: Days after Odisha health minister's assassination SP, SDPO transferred
