Odisha Minister Pradeep Maharathy quits over his Pipili gang-rape case remark
Bhubaneswar, Jan 6 (IBNS): Just a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi had urged the state government to re-investigate the Pipili gang rape-and-murder case, a minister in Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's government resigned from the state cabinet over his comment in the case.
Odisha Agriculture and Panchayati Raj Minister Pradeep Maharathy announced his resignation on Sunday after his comments on the acquittal of the two Pipli gang-rape accused had triggered a controversy in recent times.
An Odisha court last month had acquitted two people who were arrested in the case.
Following the court order, the Minister was quoted as saying by the media that the verdict was a victory of 'truth'.
"The victim had got justice and truth has prevailed," he was quoted as saying by Outlook India magazine.
Pipli horror tale:
A 19-year-old girl was gangraped in Pipli town of Puri district in Odisha in 2011. She died in a coma in 2012.
Congress, BJP on same stage:
The oppositon parties in the state- the Congress and BJP- attacked the state government over the minister's remarks.
Niranjan Patnaik, President, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee, tweeted: " BJD's Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy has been forced to resign after @OdishaPMC's protest following his shameful remark hailing the acquittal of #PipliGangRape accused. The Congress is committed to the cause of providing dignity and security to every woman of Odisha."
"It took CM @Naveen_Odisha 12 days and a plethora of condemnation from Congress to decide on the resignation of his minister. This exposes his anti woman mindset. CM must know, women of Odisha are angry & watching his actions and will answer him soon with the power of ballot," he said.
Union Minister and senior BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan said the minister hurt the people of the state with his comment.
"19 year-old Bebina of Pipili in Puri district was gang raped in 2011, and the accused were acquitted by the Court. But the statements of Ministers in BJD Government has hurt the people of Odisha more than the Court Judgement," Pradhan tweeted.
Image: Pradeep Maharathy Twitter page
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