Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) is all set to move a privilege motion against Union Minister of State for Water Resources Sanjeev Balyan for his statement in the Lok Sabha on the Mahanadi water dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
“I will move a privilege motion against the MoS for Water Resources tomorrow for his statement in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday,” BJD leader in Lok Sabha Bhartruhari Mahtab told PTI over phone.
Refusing to divulge the details of the content of the privilege motion against the Minister, Mahtab said he would inform the state’s displeasure before the House.
“For that, I will also request the Speaker to allow me to speak on the motion,” the BJD leader said.
BJD’s decision to move the privilege motion came soon after Naveen Patnaik accused Balyan of misleading the House.
“What is more unfortunate is the false and misleading statement of Balyan on the floor of Parliament yesterday,” Patnaik had told reporters here earlier in the day.
Meanwhile, the youth and students wings of BJD burnt effigies of Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and BJP state president Basant Panda.
BJP activists also demonstrated before the Collector’s office in Jharsuguda district.
With the row over Mahanadi river water escalating by the day and Chief Ministers of Odisha and Chhattisgarh engaging in a verbal duel, BJP national secretary Suresh Pujari today appealed both state heads to maintain peace in their respective regions.
“I appeal the Chief Ministers of both Odisha and Chhattisgarh to refrain from making statements as the tripatite meeting on the Mahanadi water issue is in two days,” Pujari said.
Stating that there was no necessity of entering into exchange of words for two CMs after the Centre convened a tripataite meeting, Pujari said Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati has also assured that justice would be done to both the states.
Asked on Patnaik’s request to Raman Singh to stop work till the matter was resolved through discussion, Pujari said “The discussion is only two days away. Let us wait till then.”
(Sourced from agencies, Feature image courtesy:twitter.com)
