New Delhi, March 29 -- Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra resigned from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and IT in protest against remarks by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey against Biju Patnaik.

In a letter addressed to the Chairman of the Rajya Sabha on Saturday, Patra wrote, "In protest, and as a matter of principle, I am resigning from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and IT under the Chairmanship of Shri Nishikant Dubey. I cannot, in good conscience, continue to serve under someone who makes disrespectful remarks about Late Shri. Biju Patnaik ji as he did today in a public statement."

Patra requested that his resignation be accepted and forwarded to the Speaker of the Lok...