Dana Majhi Case: Opposition Seeks House Committee Probe

Bhubaneswar: The opposition Congress and BJP on Saturday demanded to constitute a house committee to probe the Dana Majhi incident, even as Health Minister Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak informed that inquiry is going on.

“The demand for a house committee probe into the Dana Majhi case is fully justified. An impartial probe is necessary to ascertain the truth,” said Leader of Opposition Narasingh Mishra in the state Assembly.

Congress chief whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati sought a ruling from Speaker Niranjan Pujari to constitute a house committee to inquire into the matter.

“The statement of the Health Minister that Dana Majhi did not ask for a hearse was completely false. This is deplorable. While the image of Odisha was tarnished internationally, the attitude of the government is ridiculous,” said Bahinipati.

As the Speaker did not give any ruling, the members of Congress and BJP stood on their seats and shouted slogans.

Health Minister Nayak said this was a preliminary report.

“The CDMO report is a preliminary report. The inquiry is going on. We would take strict action if anyone is found guilty,” said the minister.

The Minister on Friday disputed the claim of Dana Majhi that he was denied a hearse or ambulance to take his dead wife to his village in Kalahandi district.

“As stated by the nearby patients, their attendants in the ward, Dana Majhi took the patient without notice of anybody as they were asleep in the night,” said the report of Chief District Medical Officer (CDMO).

The report said the patient was not declared dead.