Naveen cant pass the buck: BB Harichandan

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posted on 13 years ago — updated on 1 second ago

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BHUBANESWAR: Senior BJP leader and former minister Biswa Bhusan Harichandan told the Justice SC Mohapatra Inquiry Commission on Sa..

BHUBANESWAR: Senior BJP leader and former minister Biswa Bhusan Harichandan told the Justice SC Mohapatra Inquiry Commission on Saturday that he had requested Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to enhance the security for Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati whose killing in August 2008 sparked off communal riots in Kandhamal.
Harichandan, who was the Law and Revenue minister during the riots, said he had also told Naveen to extend Central paramilitary force operation in Kandhamal and convene a Cabinet meeting to discuss the issue. Deposing before the Commission for the third consecutive day, Harichandan said Naveen cannot shift the blame for the Kandhamal riots in the name of collective responsibility of council of ministers. Harichandan was the second former minister to depose before the Commission after the then Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister Manmohan Samal. Samal had also blamed Naveen for 'poor handling' of the riots which continued for about a month resulting in killing of at least 43 persons. Harichandan had not filed any affidavit before the Commission before he was summoned.

Later, Harichandan told reporters that he had requested Justice Mohapatra to summon the Chief Minister to know about certain facts which could not be answered by him. Asked why did not he resign from the ministry if he was unhappy over the manner in which the Chief Minister handled the riot, Harichandan said Naveen had assured him and also the Centre that the situation would be controlled soon and culprits involved in the killing of Saraswati arrested.