Sexual harrassment charge against Orissa Speaker

The Orissa Assembly Speaker Maheshwar Mohanty was at the centre of controversy today following allegation of sexual harassment against him by a woman marshal, a charge he termed as "baseless". "He (the Speaker) has made unsuccessful attempts to touch me. Because he failed to get me, he suspended me twice on flimsy grounds," Gayatri Panda, the woman marshal,alleged. Dismissing the allegation as false and baseless, Mohanty said it was the fallout of actions initiated against her.

"She was placed under suspension for negligence in discharging her duty, that too, particularly inside the House," the Speaker said while seeking an impartial inquiry by a House committee.

The issue rocked the Assembly which was adjourned twice today after the Speaker made a suo motu statement referring to media reports about charges of sexual harassment made by Gayatri.

The Speaker said the issue was also part of a "conspiracy in which important persons were involved" but did not elaborate.

"I am filing the charges against the Speaker who has been regularly subjecting me to sexual harassment. He's been sending people to my home asking me to come and meet him in private. He has sent his official car twice to fetch me," alleged Gayatri adding that she had written to the Secretary of the Assembly about it but said no action has been taken against the Speaker.

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