Orissa excise minister A.U. Singhdeo on Thursday resigned from his post as the death toll in the hooch tragedy rose to 32 with reports of nine more people succumbing to their illness received from S.C.B. Medical College, Cuttack, and Hi-Tech Medical College Hospital, Bhubaneswar.
“I decided to resign from my position on moral grounds. After the chief minister ordered judicial probe into the hooch tragedy, I thought I should step down to ensure free and fair inquiry,” Mr Singhdeo told reporters after sending his resignation letter to the chief minister. Chief minister Naveen Patnaik said he had received the minister’s resignation letter and forwarded the same to governor for his acceptance.
“I have forwarded Mr Singhdeo’s resignation letter to the governor for his acceptance.
The Opposition Congress and the BJP, however, demanded resignation of the chief minister and health minister Prasanna Acharya. “I welcome the excise minister’s move. However, it does not absolve the ruling BJD of its sin. The chief minister should resign as the mishap occurred because of the failure of his administration. Besides, the health minister should also step down as most of the victims died by consuming high-alcohol content cheap cough syrups that were hugely in circulation,” BJP state president Jual Oram said. Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik, while demanding resignation of the chief minister holding him responsible for the tragedy, said criminal proceedings should be initiated against him for recurrent liquor related disasters.
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SC to look into ‘raped’ nun plea
New Delhi, Feb. 9: The Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to look into the appeal of a Christian nun allegedly raped by religious fanatics during the infamous Kandhamal riots in Orissa, challenging the state high court’s rejection of her plea for cross-examination of a sub-divisional magistrate.
A bench of justices Altamas Kabir and J. Chelameshwar, which posted to Monday the plea made by senior counsel Colin Gonzalves on behalf of the victim, sought the presence of the government’s standing counsel.
The bench was initially not inclined to interfere with the high court order, but after Mr Gonzalves persisted with the plea citing certain purported decisions of the top court, it agreed to hear the matter on Monday. — PTI