Odisha’s Minister of State (MoS) for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra, who is in the eye of a snowballing controversy over the Mamita Meher murder case, said he had nothing do with the ‘offence’.
After receiving criticism from various quarters, Mishra broke silence for the first time and said: “I swear in the name of Maa Manikeswari on whom I as well as people of Kalahandi have deep faith in, that I have nothing to do with this offence.”
“As an MLA and ex-Air Force Officer, I have attended functions at many educational institutions. In fact, public representatives are supposed to attend functions in educational institutions. Therefore, a crime happening in any one of the institutions that I have visited as a guest for functions cannot be attributed to me,” he said.
Denouncing the smear campaign against him, Mishra said the malicious campaign by a section of the media and opposition political parties marks a new low in the political discourse of Odisha, especially where they are being used for narrow political gains at the cost of truth, empathy and sensitivity in heinous offences.
The minister informed that his family has filed criminal and civil defamation cases against three regional media groups.
The Minister further said he has always believed that in sensitive heinous offences, law enforcement agencies should act in a free and fair manner so that the accused meets the end of justice.
He urged the opposition political parties and media, if they have an iota of evidence against him in this matter, then take it to the police or the court.
“I will not only resign from my position but will also retire from public life, but don’t indulge in smear campaign with personal political agenda,” he stated.
Mishra said he is deeply saddened and anguished by the unfortunate death of Mamita Meher. “I am a father and I can understand the trauma the family must be going through. My deepest condolences to the family of Mamita. The guilty must be given strictest punishment as per law,” he added.
Meanwhile, Opposition BJP and Congress continued their attack on the State government and Minister Mishra over the issue.
Earlier in the day, a three-member central BJP team led by Mahila Morcha National President Vanathi Srinivasan met Mamita’s family at their native Jharni village of Bolangir district.
“The family is in shock. We have doubts about the process of investigation by the police department. How did Gobinda Sahu escape from police custody?” questioned Srinivasan. She demanded the resignation of Mishra.
BJP youth wing activists clashed with police when they were stopped from gheraoing the SP office in Berhampur yesterday demanding resignation of Mishra.
Senior Congress leader Bhakta Charan Das has demanded the arrest of Mishra.
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