The Odisha unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday stepped up its campaign against Agriculture Minister Arun Sahu by sending a party delegation to the village, where Pari, a five-year-old, girl, was murdered.
Led by Leader of the Opposition Pradipta Kumar Naik, the delegation of 18 party MLAs visited Jadupur village in Nayagarh. The BJP has a total 22 MLAs in the State Assembly.
Members of the delegation met Ashok and Saudamini Sahu, Pari’s parents. The couple had alleged that Nayagarh district police were not arresting the main accused as he was a close confidant of Mr. Sahu. The girl was found murdered under mysterious circumstances in her village on July 14.
“The administration is under tremendous pressure from the ruling party. A child was brutally killed and there were allegations of involvement of a big organ trade racket in the incident. But, the police did not show any urgency to nab the culprit,” alleged Mr. Naik.
‘Police not acting’
He said, “The police did not act because the main accused was a close confidante of the Minister who hailed from Nayagarh district. Instead of giving protection to child’s parents, the government is shielding the accused.”
The BJP has been highlighting the issue of the child’s death and alleged police inaction, in the Assembly as well as outside. The party has demanded the ouster of the Minister.
It also accused the ruling Biju Janata Dal government of abruptly ending the winter session of the Assembly on Sunday as it found itself cornered over the issue.
Although the State government has constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe into the incident, the main Opposition party has been insisting for an CBI probe.
BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra has also moved the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights seeking its intervention in the matter. The party also staged a demonstration in front of Odisha Bhawan in New Delhi.
