OD-MINISTER

Opposition Congress and BJP

Thursday demanded the resignation of Odisha Agriculture

Minister Pradeep Maharathy for his comments on the acquittal

of two persons arrested in connection with Pipili gang rape.

A Bhubaneswar court had on Monday acquitted two

persons arrested in connection with the case.

Following it Maharathy, who represents Pipli in the

assembly, had said "My sympathies are with the victim but I

honour the court's judgement. I had said that truth will

prevail."

Denouncing Maharathy's comment, senior BJP leader and

Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said

his statement indicated the "flawed policies" of the state

government on women and scheduled castes.

Congress women activists on Thursday staged

demonstration before the minister's official residence here

and hurled eggs and tomatoes at it, while the BJP Mahila

Morcha demanded Maharathy's exclusion from the ministry and

handing over the case to CBI.

Police arrested about 40 activists of Odisha Pradesh

Mahila Congress as a preventive measure as they had assembled

before the minister's house and attempted to barge into its

premises, said Bhubaneswar assistant commissioner of police

Sanjay Singh.

"We will continue agitation till the minister is

expelled from the ministry," Odisha Mahila Congress chief

Sumitra Jena said.

Maharathy's comment has hurt the sentiment of women,

she said.

The BJP threatened to take to the streets if Maharathy

is not removed from the state cabinet in next 24 hours.

A 19-year-old girl was found unconscious and semi-

naked in a paddy field in Pipli on November 28, 2011. She

succumbed on June 21, 2012 after remaining semi-comatose in

SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack.

Maharathy had to resign from the ministry then in the

face of a statewide hue and cry for allegedly sheltering the

accused persons.