Odisha Cong Chief Whip threatens to thrash officials to end PC practice

Bhubaneswar: Opposition Chief Whip in Odisha Assembly and Congress legislator from Jeypore Tara Prasad Bahinipati today threatened to thrash third floor (Chief Minister’s Office) officials for their involvement in the percentage commission (PC) practice.

“PC practice has its origin in the third floor (CMO). The officials there should be beaten up. I will enter that floor as an MLA against PC and thrash the officials. If Naveen Patnaik has the guts let him get me arrested by the police from there,” said Bahinipati during the Zero Hour in the Assembly.

However, BJD spokesperson Samir Dash in his reaction on Bahinipati’s statement in the House said: “Probably lawmaker Tara Bahinipati doesn’t understand what he says. He makes a statement in the House since he has the privilege to make one. There is nothing called third floor. There are certain established government rules and practices under which transfers and postings are made. If anyone takes the law into his own hands, the law will take its own course.”

“No issue can be solved by beating up somebody. Since the Chief Minister in his 17 years of rule has felt that PC practice has prevailed and he had given a call for its eradication, so it’s now upon him to initiate action against those involved in PC practice,” remarked Rabi Naik, BJP MLA speaking to reporters outside the Assembly in his reactions on Bahinipati’s statement.

The PC issue was raised by Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra of Congress during Zero Hour who accused the government of not being sincere in curbing corruption though Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had himself given a call for it.

Mishra told the House that an engineer in his district was transferred under pressure from Rajya Sabha BJD MP A U Singhdeo and another engineer against whom a vigilance case was pending was posted on the recommendation of Singhdeo.

He said this was how corrupt officials were getting protection.