Odisha govt to bear medical expenses of Maharaja Gopinath

Bhubaneswar, Aug 17 (PTI) The Odisha government todaysaid it will bear all medical expenses of Maharaja GopinathGajapati Narayan Deb, who has been admitted at a privatehospital in Chennai. The Maharaja is the scion of the Gajapati dynasty ofParlakhemundi which lies in the present Gajapati district. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also asked Health andFamily Welfare Minister Atanu S Nayak to visit the Maharaja, aformer MP, at the hospital in Chennai, where he was admittedtwo days ago, an official statement said. The state government’s move came in the wake ofpublic resentment in Gajapati where people alleged that somepalace officials kept the Maharaja confined and denied himproper treatment. Meanwhile, Parlakhemundi MLA K Surya Rao of Congressand Gajapati district BJP president G Ravana today staged ahunger strike in front of the palace at Parlakhemundidemanding arrest of the Maharaj’s manager Kanakmanjari Patra,who they alleged had kept the Maharaja under house arrest. They also demanded the arrest of Patra’s two brothers. "Our demands include proper treatment to the Maharaja,arrest of palace manager along with her two brothers andthorough inquiry into the palace’s monetary transaction," Raosaid. Hearing that the Maharaja is kept under house arrestand not allowed to meet anyone, people of Parlakhemundi andleaders of various parties staged demonstration in front ofthe palace. Sarbagyana Jagannath Gajapati Deb, the younger brotherof Maharaja, has alleged that manager had put the Maharajaunder house arrest. Manager Patra, however, denied the allegation. She said, "The Maharaja is fit and fine. He is not inhouse arrest as alleged. His daughter had advised us not toallow Maharaja go outside because of his frail healthcondition." PTI AAM NNUZM