Bhubaneswar, July 22: Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan Monday ridiculed Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik's charge that the law and order situation has deteriorated in the State in the last one-and-half month in Odisha.

The LoP made this allegation in the State Assembly during the Governor's address and subsequently his party staged a walkout. He also claimed that his government was taking prompt action against accused persons.

In his reaction, Law Minister Harichandan said people of the State are not buying Naveen's claim as it looks like a sieve laughing at a needle for its single hole. He said people know how his Ministers and elected leaders flouted laws without fear.

"No action was taken against the then Minister Pratap Jena even as he was named as the accused person in the Mahanga double murder case. No action was taken against the then Minister Dibya Shankar Mishra despite his alleged link in the Mamita Meher murder and subsequent suicide of the main accused Gobinda Behera. Former Minister Arun Sahoo was protected though he was an accused in the Paree killing case. MLA Bijay Shankar, who was accused of sexual exploitation, was also protected by Naveen Patnaik," said Harichandan.

The Minister also reminded the incidents of former Minister Ranendra Prasad Swain exploiting farmers and former Minister Sushant Singh ransacking Veden police station etc.

"It is ridiculing that former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who protected accused persons in various cases, is saying the law and situation has deteriorated in just one and half months," criticized Harichandan.

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