BJP State president KV Singh Deo on Tuesday questioned the appointment of BJD leader Tejeswar Parida as the Odisha Khadi and Gramyadyoga Board (OKGB) Chairman, when three criminal cases are pending against him in a police station in the Patkura Assembly constituency in Kendrapada district.
Raising the issue in the Zero Hour in the Assembly, Singh Deo wanted to know while Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had conveniently sacked several of his Ministers facing criminal or corruption charges, on what ground he had appointed Parida as the Khadi and Gramyadyoga Board Chairman.“The Marsaghai Tehsildar, the Garadpur BDO and the Patkura police station IIC have filed three cases against Parida in a police station in Kendrapada district. Parida too has been charge-sheeted.
Hence, by appointing Parida as Chairman of the Khadi and Gramyadyoga Board, the Naveen Patnaik Government has proved that it was shielding the corrupt and criminals,” Singh Deo said, seeking a reply from the Chief Minister in this regard.Parida, on the other hand, took the issue lightly and said policecases are but normal in anybody’s political life. “Since I was involved in a farmers’ stir, police had lodged cases against me and a few villagers in Patkura. Submission of charge-sheet to the court does not mean that I am convicted. I will put my views in the court of law as and when required,” clarified the BJD leader.