Bhubaneswear, Dec. 14: Sex sneaked into the Assembly as senior Congress MLA Naba Kishore Das was today caught watching porn clips on his smart phone during the Question Hour in an incident reminiscent of what happened in the Karnataka legislature three years ago.
The news spread like wildfire as a private TV channel this evening aired the footage of Jharsuguda MLA glued to his phone set staring at the visuals. While the incident, the first of its kind in Odisha Assembly, augurs trouble for the two-time legislator, it has drawn condemnation even from fellow MLAs.
Das, 53, admitted to have seen the smutty visuals on his Android phone but sought to defend himself saying it was not a deliberate act. "I was browsing my phone when by mistake I touched YouTube app and this clip popped up. The video is on YouTube. The company has sent it and I did not choose it deliberately," said the MLA.
Das pleaded not guilty, saying he was a novice so far smartphones were concerned. However, he conceded that the incident was "unfortunate".
The MLA, perhaps unaware that TV cameras were watching him, was fiddling with his phone when the House was discussing issues such as disaster management and taxation during the Question Hour.
Describing the incident as unfortunate, law minister Arun Sahu said the Congress MLA had also violated a standing rule about the use of mobile phones in the House. "There is a ruling by the Speaker that no one should operate mobile phones inside the Assembly," said Sahu.
Former minister and BJD MLA Pramila Mallick, who was the first to raise the issue in the House, slammed Das for lowering the dignity of the House. "This also shows he has no respect for women. The Speaker should order a probe into the issue and take the strongest possible action against him," said Mallick.
While BJP legislature party leader, Basant Panda, felt that Das's conduct was unbecoming of an MLA, former Speaker Sarat Kar said the Speaker should take the opportunity to set out a code of conduct for members to ensure the dignity of the House.
Congress leaders, however, sought to tiptoe around the issue. Party veteran and Opposition leader Narasingh Mishra said: "I am not aware of the incident. I will not comment on what is shown on the TV." However, there seems to be serious trouble ahead for Das with women activists threatening agitation over the issue. Women's activist Tapasi Praharaj said: "We will take it up in a big way. The people must know what their elected representatives are doing inside the Assembly. The rot seems to have gone too deep."
Today's incident was reminiscent of what happened in the Karnataka Assembly in February 2012, when two ministers had been caught watching porn clips in the House and were forced to resign following the scandal. A similar incident also took place in the Gujarat Assembly a month later.
