BJD MP quits Parliamentary panel over controversial remark on Biju Patnaik

Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sasmit Patra resigned from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and IT, headed by BJP leader Nishikant Dubey, after the latter allegedly made a controversial remark on the former Odisha Chief Minister and the founder of the party, Biju Patnaik. As per sources, Dubey allegedly called Patnaik a 'CIA agent', which resulted in a major controversy.

"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 in a public statement," Patra wrote in a letter to the Rajya Sabha Chairperson, as reported by news agency PTI.

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