Orissa Minister resigns over Opposition allegation

Bhubaneswar, Mar 23 (UNI) Orissa Minister of State for Water Resources, Science and Technology Rabi Narayan Nanda today tendered his resignation in the wake of Opposition allegation on his alleged involvement in the hooch tragedy.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik who accepted his resignation told newsmen that a high level inquiry would be conducted into the Opposition allegation as desired by the Minister himself.

Mr Nanda who tendered his resignation, urged the CM to conduct an inquiry into the Opposition allegation, which he described as a ''conspiracy against him and the party''.

The Orissa Assembly had been witnessing an unprecedented stalemate for the last two days as the Opposition stalled the proceedings demanding the resignation of Mr Nanda following his indictment by an Inquiry Commission in the 2001 Puri Hooch tragedy.

The Opposition which tabled the hooch tragedy report in the house,had quoted the observation of the Commission on a call made from a landphone installed at Mr Nanda's residence to the mobile phone of a liquor baron of Chhatisgarh involved in the Puri hooch tragedy.

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