Porngate in Odisha assembly: Dama sparks row

BHUBANESWAR: The porngate controversy in Odisha assembly took a new turn as Excise Minister Damodar Rout, known as BJD’s loose cannon, on Wednesday put the ruling party in a fix over the issue.

As the opposition Congress and BJP members continued remaining absent in the state assembly protesting the week-long suspension of Congress member Naba Das from the house for allegedly watching porn video clippings, Rout said heaven would not have fallen had the motion against Naba Das deferred by a couple of days.

“Heavens would not have fallen the motion against Naba Das deferred by a couple of days after passing a resolution on conferment of Bharat Ratna on the legendary leader Biju Patnaik”, Rout said while raising the issue during a discussion on Biju Patnaik on Wednesday.

The minister said, “It is painful for a senior MLA like him to see the way house is being run.”

Later, talking to media persons, Rout said, “A motion was adopted in the house, and Naba Das was suspended for seven days over some mobile phone issue. The motion could have been brought some other days and discussed. I told the house after discussing a motion on conferment of Bharat Ratna to Biju Babu; the suspension motion could have been adopted.”

However, the statement of Rout did not go down well with the party even as several leaders preferred to remain silent on the issue.

Party chief whip Anant Das had moved a motion against Congress legislator Naba Das for allegedly watching porn video clips in the Odisha assembly in session.

However, Das remained silent over the statement of Rout, by saying let the speaker and the House decide on the matter.

Speaking on the statement of Rout, leader of opposition Narasingh Mishra said his statements are like a solid slap on the face of the chief minister.