New Delhi [India], March 29 : Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra resigned from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and IT in protest against remarks by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey against Biju Patnaik.
In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha on Saturday, Patra wrote, "In protest, and as a matter of principle, I am resigning from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and IT under the Chairmanship of Shri Nishikant Dubey. I cannot, in good conscience, continue to serve under someone who makes disrespectful remarks about Late Shri. Biju Patnaik ji as he did today in a public statement."
Patra requested that his resignation be accepted and forwarded to the Speaker of the Lok Sabha, as the Committee functions under the Lok Sabha.
Announcing his resignation on X, BJD MP Sasmit Patra expressed deep shock over Dubey's statement, describing it as "outrageous, false and irresponsible insinuations" against Biju Patnaik, a towering freedom fighter, visionary leader, and son of the soil whose contribution to the nation is beyond question.
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"Such attempts to distort history and malign a revered leader for political narratives are unacceptable and condemnable. In protest, and as a matter of principle, I am resigning from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and IT under the Chairmanship of Shri Nishikant Dubey. I cannot, in good conscience, continue to serve under someone who makes such disrespectful remarks about a national icon. The legacy of Biju Patnaik ji will always stand taller than petty politics.," Patra said.
The controversy stems from remarks made by Dubey on March 27, when he claimed that during the 1962 war with China, Jawaharlal Nehru fought the entire war with China with American money and in collaboration with CIA agents, while Biju Patnaik, then Chief Minister of Odisha, acted as a link between the US government, the CIA, and Nehru.
"America sent its troops and CIA agents to Tibet, knowing that China would one day take over Tibet. The Dalai Lama and his brother were in constant contact with the US government. Nehru fought the entire 1962 war with China with American money and in collaboration with CIA agents. Biju Patnaik, the then Chief Minister of Odisha, was a link between the US government, the CIA, and Nehru. Even the officials were aware of this. I have released two letters from Nehru today, in which he is telling his officials, especially the US ambassador, to do their job. We have sent Biju Patnaik for a major task, and he is discussing defense matters. Even after losing the China war in 1962, Nehruji didn't find peace. And how did he surrender India's interests?," Dubey said on Friday.
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