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Odisha Minister Alleges Laxmanananda Murder Report Was Deliberately Suppressed
A government report about the killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati cannot currently be found.
Odisha’s law minister says the report was deliberately misplaced by the previous government.
He says the current BJP government is investigating what happened.
The government hopes to find the report and identify anyone responsible.
The seer and four other people were killed at an ashram in Kandhamal in 2008.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has suggested there may have been a conspiracy.
The opposition BJD says the government should have noticed the missing file earlier.
It also says ministers have given confusing answers about whether the report can be recovered from a computer.
Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan accused the previous Biju Janata Dal government of intentionally suppressing the inquiry commission report into Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati’s killing.
Harichandan said the BJP government has begun investigating the report’s disappearance and hopes to recover it and identify those responsible.
Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four others were killed at the Jalespeta ashram in Kandhamal on August 23, 2008.
Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi has also raised suspicions of a conspiracy behind the killing.
BJD leader Prasanna Acharya questioned the timing of the investigation and cited conflicting ministerial statements about whether the report could be retrieved electronically.
- Who
- Odisha Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan accused the previous Biju Janata Dal government; the inquiry concerned the killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four others.
- What
- The Odisha government is investigating the disappearance of a commission report into the 2008 killings.
- Where
- The killings took place at the Jalespeta ashram in Kandhamal, Odisha.
- When
- The killings occurred on August 23, 2008; the latest allegations and investigation were reported on Friday.
- Why
- Harichandan said the report was intentionally misplaced and may reveal who was suspected of involvement in the killing; the BJD disputes the government’s handling and timing of the inquiry.
Government Allegations
BJD Opposition Questions
Why the report is missing
Government Allegations
Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan alleged that the previous BJD government intentionally misplaced the commission report.
BJD Opposition Questions
BJD leader Prasanna Acharya said it is the state government’s responsibility to trace the report and investigate its disappearance, without accepting the government’s allegation.
Timing of the investigation
Government Allegations
The BJP government said it has seriously initiated an investigation into the missing report and hopes to recover it.
BJD Opposition Questions
Acharya questioned why the government took two years after coming to power to realize that the file was missing.
Whether the report can be recovered electronically
Government Allegations
One minister reportedly said the report could be retrieved from a computer even if the physical file was lost.
BJD Opposition Questions
Another minister reportedly said it could not be retrieved, which Acharya said had confused the public.
Key facts
- Incident
- Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four others were killed.
- Date of killing
- August 23, 2008.
- Location
- Jalespeta ashram, Kandhamal, Odisha.
- Missing document
- An inquiry commission report into the killing.
- Government position
- Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan said the report was intentionally misplaced and is being traced.
- Opposition position
- BJD leader Prasanna Acharya questioned why the missing file was noticed only after two years.
- Disputed issue
- Ministers have given conflicting statements about whether the report can be retrieved electronically.
Quotes
Prithiviraj Harichandan
Odisha law minister
“One minister said it can be retrieved; even if the file is lost, whatever report was in it can be retrieved from the computer. Another minister said no, it cannot be retrieved. Therefore, the public is now confused.”
deccanchronicle.com
“The government itself is conducting the investigation. It didn’t even realise for two years after coming to power that the file was lost. Suddenly, after two years, they woke up and realised that the file was lost.”
deccanchronicle.com
Sources
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