Congress demands resignation of Revenue Minister

Bhubaneswar, Nov 22 (UNI) Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Jaydev Jena today demanded the resignation of state Revenue Minister Manmohan Samal from the Council of Ministers for giving wrong information and misleading the people on the Rangetangar laterite stone quarry incident in Jajpur district.

Mr Jena told newspersons here that 15 workers died when murram and laterite stone caved in on November 14.

Though the workers were working in the illegal quarry, the Minister said everything was going on as per the law.

The Congress leader demanded that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik remove the Revenue Minister from the Ministry if the latter did not resign on his own.

The Congress leader alleged that the District Collector, Sub- Collector and the local Tahasildar were allowing the illegal stone quarrying to please the leaders of the party in power despite opposition from the people and the Forest department.

He alleged that some ruling party members with the connivance of the district administration were involved in the illegal mining racket and minting money.

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