Controversy after BJP MLA remarks on Gandhi in Odisha Assembly

The opposition BJD and Congress MLAs staged a “silent” protest on Thursday after BJP MLA Santosh Khatua made controversial statements on Mahatma Gandhi inside the Odisha Assembly.

Khatua, the MLA from Nilgiri, made the remarks while participating in a debate on the supplementary budget. Though Speaker Surama Padhi immediately ordered to expunge the remarks and barred them from being reported to media, it triggered sharp reaction from the opposition MLAs.

The opposition MLAs tried to disrupt Assembly proceedings demanding Khatua’s apology and walked up to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside the Assembly premises to stage a protest.