The State Health and Family Welfare Minister Damodar Rout sharing dais with a High Court Judge, District Judge and other officials during a meeting here held on the inauguration of the district judge court on Friday kicked up a row.
The Ambedkar Dalit Bikash Parishad, a Dalit organisation working in Kujanga, opposed Minister Rout’s presence on the occasion and sharing dais with a High Court Judge and the newly appointed district judge and other judicial officials.
Organization president Manoj Patra petitioned the Odisha High Court Chief Justice, Chief Minister and State law Minister questioning the legality in inviting Rout to the meeting, who is an accused in two cases pending against him for giving anti-Dalit remarks on earlier occasions. He questioned the legality in allowing an accused sharing dais with judges.
Dalit leader Patra in his petition described Rout an accused in two cases for his anti-Dalit remarks against MlAs Bishnu Das, Ravi Bhoi and MP Bibhu Prasad Tarai and the then ADM Upendra Mallick. Patra’s petition questioned the propriety in allowing Minister Rout to attend the function as guest, when two cases against him are yet to be disposed.
Notably, Rout in two separate social functions held in Kujang and Paradip had delivered anti-Dalit remarks against both Jagatsinghpur and Tirtol MlAs, besides against Jagatsinghpur MP and Jagatsinghpur ADM two years ago. His remarks had triggered a controversy as the Dalit community across the country had upped the ante against Rout, while the National SC and ST Commission had taken a serious note of Rout’s misdemeanour.