BJP Legislature Party Leader KV Singh Deo on Wednesday resigned from the Assembly Committee on Privileges in protest against a notice issued to OTV director Jagi Mangat Panda to depose before the committee.

“I hereby tender my resignation from the Committee on Privileges for 2018-19 constituted by you on the issue of Privilege Motion raised by the Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati on a news item telecast by OTV on  November 20, 2018,” Singh Deo mentioned in his resignation letter.

Bahinipati had stated that the OTV Ltd had breached the privilege of the House through its authorized persons and undermined the dignity of the House through a programme telecast on its TV channel. Nowhere had he mentioned that the Managing Director of the channel be summoned.

“While the Speaker has the authority to constitute a committee, there has never been precedence of summoning owners of the media houses. At best editors/ reporters have been summoned. But in this case, OTV Director Jagi Mangat Panda was summoned. Moreover, she is an established and reputed woman entrepreneur of the State. She has been humiliated and harassed publicly which shows the anti-woman attitude. Such action by the Chairman smacks of political vendetta. It is clear that she was summoned to be harassed for political reasons,” agued Singh Deo.

“Under the circumstances it is untenable on my part to be a part of the committee, which should work independently and without bias. My resignation may please be accepted with immediate effect,” mentioned Singh Deo.