Congress demands action on BJD Lok Sabha leader

Bhubaneswar,Jun 28 (UNI) Congress Chief Whip Satya Bhusan Sahu today demanded a discussion on the allegation of BJD Lok Sabha leader Braja Kishore Tripathy against Speaker Maheswar Mohanty for using Assembly office to defame him in public.

Raising the issue in the State Assembly, Mr.Sahu said Mr Tripathy in a press conference had alleged that the Speaker and another BJD Parliament member Baijant Panda had launched a vilification campaign against him.

The BJD Lok Sabha leader had even alleged that the Speaker office has been used for the purpose,the Congress Chief Whip said adding that some steps should be taken if there was truth in his allegation.

He further said if the allegations were false then a breach of privilege be moved against the BJP Lok Sabha MP for tarnishing the dignity of the House by dragging the name of the Speaker in his statement.Mr.Sahu demanded that the matter be discussed in the House suspending other businesses.

But Speaker Maheswar Mohanty immediately responded to Mr Sahu stating that some journalists had also drawn his attention in this regard and he had refuted all the allegations.

Mr.Mohanty said he had not gone through the reports in the newspapers in this regard and ruled that he would take a decision on privilege after examining the statement.

The Speaker did not allow any further discussion on the issue when Orissa Gana Parishad(OGP) member Arun Dey tried to raise the issue through point of order in the House.

UNI