The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday walked out of the Rajya Sabha over remarks made by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Nishikant Dubey about party founder and former Odisha chief minister Biju Patnaik.
Once the house was gathered, BJD’s Sasmit Batra said: “We want to register our serious protest against the insulting, false and fabricated statements made by Nishikant Dubey against Biju Patnaik.”
He said: “This is the level the ruling party has reached… This is completely shameful,” announcing the party’s withdrawal.
On Sunday, Patra resigned from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, which Dubey chairs, in protest against the derogatory remarks against Patnaik.
Read also:Biju Naveen Foundation: Patnaik clarifies timing amid BJP attack over intent
Although the BJP was not part of the National Democratic Alliance, as a neutral party, it supported the government on key legislative issues.
Meanwhile, Dubey said he has not pressed any charges against Patnaik.
“Biju Patnaik ji was a tall freedom fighter and the BJP showed full respect to him… When the Congress wronged Biju Babu, the Jan Sangh and the BJP stood by him… I repeat that I am releasing a series on the actions of the Nehru-Gandhi family. Tell me, what was the allegation I made against Biju Babu in my tweet?… If anyone is hurt by what I wrote in my tweets, I can only try to make him understand,” he told the news agency. that I.
