Sunday, December 18, 2005
A Brief report on Agitation in Delhi on National Institute of Sciences (NIS) Issue organized by Agamee Odisha at Jantur Mantur on 16th Dec 2005
By Niranjan Sahu
As announced earlier, Agamee Odisha went ahead with its plan to stage dharna near parliament streetbetween 11.00am to 3.00 pm (16 December 2005) with a crowd of more than eight hundred people coming from all parts of Delhi. Several academicians and students from JNU, DU, IIT and other institutions from Delhi, lawyers, activists, professional and members of parliament joined in the dharna. As many as 18 MPs (BJP and BJD) from Orissa joined the demonstration. Ms. Archana Nayak, Mr. Brajakishore Tripathy, Prasnna Patsani, Rudranarayan Pani, Prasanna Acharya, Dharmendra Pradhan, Sangita Singhdeo, B.J Panda, Kharabela Swain(BJP Deputy Whip, Lok Sabha), Pramila Bohidar, Jual Oram among others participated and spoketo the crowd on the NIS issue. The most surprise pack was the presence of Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, the then HRD Minister who had played an instrumental role in announcing establishment of NIS at Bhubaneswar and three other locations. He directly questioned the intention of the present HRD Minister in denying the report that the establishment of NIS was never mooted in Bhubaneswar. He said that NIS must be established in Orissa which deserves such an institution being a backward state in the eastern region. He assured to raise the issue in the Parliament.
Mr. Braja Kishore Tripathy, MP (BJD) brought to the notice of the audience and press that the issue has been raised by Orissa MPs in the Parliament and they have already made a walkout and sat on a dharna nearthe statue of Mahatma Gandhi. But if the Centre does not respond positively, they will resort to adjournment in the Parliament and raise it before the Prime Minister. Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan, MP (BJP) demanded for immediate restoration of NIS status and assured that he would raise this issue through the NDA Parliamentary Committee.It was unanimously decided to keep the pressure on and fight it out until something positive happens. MPs have pledged to remain vigilant on the issue and leave no stone unturned in Parliament to bring back the pride of Oriyas. Many prominent lawyers who participated in the dharna promised to file PIL on the issue in Supreme Court if the central government finds an easy way from the current PIL filed in the Orissa High Court. The issue has been widely covered by English and Hindi national media (Electronic andPrint) apart from ETV and OTV. Dr. S.K. Tripathy, Mr. L.M.Pattanaik and Mr. AjayaPattanaik from Agamee Odisha with active support from Niranjan, Gyana, Jatin, Anindita, Sandipani, Atanu, Bibhu and Manoj of New Delhi (students of DU and JNU, and professionals) coordinated the event at JanturMantur.
As announced earlier, Agamee Odisha went ahead with its plan to stage dharna near parliament streetbetween 11.00am to 3.00 pm (16 December 2005) with a crowd of more than eight hundred people coming from all parts of Delhi. Several academicians and students from JNU, DU, IIT and other institutions from Delhi, lawyers, activists, professional and members of parliament joined in the dharna. As many as 18 MPs (BJP and BJD) from Orissa joined the demonstration. Ms. Archana Nayak, Mr. Brajakishore Tripathy, Prasnna Patsani, Rudranarayan Pani, Prasanna Acharya, Dharmendra Pradhan, Sangita Singhdeo, B.J Panda, Kharabela Swain(BJP Deputy Whip, Lok Sabha), Pramila Bohidar, Jual Oram among others participated and spoketo the crowd on the NIS issue. The most surprise pack was the presence of Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, the then HRD Minister who had played an instrumental role in announcing establishment of NIS at Bhubaneswar and three other locations. He directly questioned the intention of the present HRD Minister in denying the report that the establishment of NIS was never mooted in Bhubaneswar. He said that NIS must be established in Orissa which deserves such an institution being a backward state in the eastern region. He assured to raise the issue in the Parliament.
Mr. Braja Kishore Tripathy, MP (BJD) brought to the notice of the audience and press that the issue has been raised by Orissa MPs in the Parliament and they have already made a walkout and sat on a dharna nearthe statue of Mahatma Gandhi. But if the Centre does not respond positively, they will resort to adjournment in the Parliament and raise it before the Prime Minister. Mr. Dharmendra Pradhan, MP (BJP) demanded for immediate restoration of NIS status and assured that he would raise this issue through the NDA Parliamentary Committee.It was unanimously decided to keep the pressure on and fight it out until something positive happens. MPs have pledged to remain vigilant on the issue and leave no stone unturned in Parliament to bring back the pride of Oriyas. Many prominent lawyers who participated in the dharna promised to file PIL on the issue in Supreme Court if the central government finds an easy way from the current PIL filed in the Orissa High Court. The issue has been widely covered by English and Hindi national media (Electronic andPrint) apart from ETV and OTV. Dr. S.K. Tripathy, Mr. L.M.Pattanaik and Mr. AjayaPattanaik from Agamee Odisha with active support from Niranjan, Gyana, Jatin, Anindita, Sandipani, Atanu, Bibhu and Manoj of New Delhi (students of DU and JNU, and professionals) coordinated the event at JanturMantur.
# posted by chitta @ 3:55 AM 
