BJD MPs hold sit-in protest over denial of IIT to Orissa

New Delhi, May 9 (UNI) A day after the walk-out by NDA members in the Lok Sabha in protest against denial of an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) to Orissa in the 11th Plan, members belonging to Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today held a sit-in at the main entrance of Parliament to step up the tempo of their demand.

A group of about 15 MPs from Orissa, holding placards listing their demand, also raised slogans before the start of the day's Parliament session.

Yesterday, the NDA members expressed dissatisfaction over the statement made by Minister of State for Human Resource Development D Purandeshwari, saying the Government had never agreed to establish an IIT in Orissa during the 11th Plan.

Responding to a calling attention by Mr Braj Kishore Tripathy (BJD) and others on the need to set up an IIT in Orissa, the Minister said the HRD ministry had agreed to set up three new IITs in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan on the recomendations of the Scientific Advisory Council to the Prime Minister.

UNI