Fate of Maharathi: Naveen keeps all guessing

BHUBANESWAR: “In a day or so” was the cryptic reply of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. As anticipation grew with each passing hour about the fate of Agriculture Minister Pradip Maharathi, Naveen deferred a decision on his Minister, who has been tainted with harbouring the Pipili gangrape accused.Maharathi has since strongly denied any role and refused to quit.“The thing which you want to know, about the MLA (Agriculture Minister) from the constituency, I might come to a decision very shortly...perhaps in a day or so,” Naveen told waiting mediapersons after a high-level meeting he chaired to take stock of the situation. It was attended by Chief Secretary Bijay Kumar Patnaik, DGP Manmohan Praharaj and Home Secretary U N Behera.Returning from New Delhi after a five-day visit on Tuesday, Naveen had announced that very stringent and extremely strong action will be taken in this matter. But on Wednesday, he seemed to be in no hurry.Sacking the minister or asking for his resignation would only embolden the Opposition that has been demanding a CBI probe.Asked whether he would will take action against Maharathi, Naveen had said he would look into the matter in detail.As the political brouhaha intensifies, the National Commission for Women has asked the State Government to take all steps so that the victim recovers from the trauma. She has been admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack. The Chief Secretary said the Government will take the help from experts from other States for her treatment.The demand for CBI probe into the incident continued with the State unit of the Mahila Congress reiterating it in a memorandum submitted to the Chief Secretary.The Congress and the BJP have rejected the judicial probe already ordered. The Crime Branch has so far arrested three of the four accused.