Bhubaneswar: Opposition Congress and BJP
MLAs, boycotting the Orissa assembly since July 17 demanding
dismissal of two `tainted` ministers, today rejected a fresh
appeal by Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to participate
in the house proceedings.
"Our one and only demand is removal of Urban and
Housing Minister, Badri Narayan Patra and School and Mass
Education Minister Pratap Jena for their alleged involvement
in coal linkage scam," Leader of the Opposition, Bhupinder
Singh told reporters.
Singh made the remark after the Chief Minister made a
statement in the assembly requesting them to participate in
all transactions of the house in the interest of "sound
democratic tradition."
Stating that the state vigilance had been entrusted
with investigation of the case concerning irregularities in
distribution of coal by the state owned Orissa Samll
Industries Corporation (OSIC) and Orissa Cooperative Consumer
Federation (OCCF), Patnaik said the invesigating wing was
given free hand to get to the bottom of the truth.
PTI
