The Odisha BJP on Monday observed a 12-hour bandh in Deogarh district protesting against the arrest of the party’s Deogarh MLA Subhash Chandra Panigrahi, who has been accused of beating up a block development officer.
Police arrested Panigrahi on Sunday and later he was sent to seven-days judicial custody following the rejection of the bail plea by the court. However, as Panigrahi’s health deteriorated, he was sent to the Deogarh district hospital for treatment.
During the bandh, BJP activists beat up a local journalist who was going to cover a programme in Tileibani block. “I was about to reach the block office, when some BJP workers stopped my car and started abusing me in filthy language. They were not happy with my reporting of the news. When I protested, one of the close associates of the MLA thrashed me. I suffered injuries in my mouth and scrotum. I have been admitted to the hospital for treatment. I have already lodged an FIR,” Brijesh Ranjan Sahu, who is working as Deogarh district correspondent for an Odia news channel, told The Telegraph.
The BJP leaders are scheduled to meet the Director General of Police in the evening demanding the arrest of the BDO of Tileibani block of Deogarh district, Krushna Chandra Dalapati. They alleged that it was the BDO who had misbehaved the MLA. “Why no action has been taken so far against the BDO Dalapati based on the FIR of the BDO,” questioned BJP state general secretary Golak Chandra Mohapatra. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan also condemned the arrest of the MLA.
On the other hand, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) said, assaulting and intimidating Government officials is becoming a habit of the BJP public representatives from Odisha and protecting them instead of condemning their violence is becoming a habit of the Odisha BJP.
“When Union Minister and BJP’s Lok Sabha MP assaulted Government officials, we had expected that Odisha BJP would condemn it but unfortunately they shielded their Lok Sabha MP and tried to divert public attention,” said BJD spokesperson Lelin Kumar Mohanty.
He further said the BJD always stands for the rule of law and for the law to take its course. In the past as well, action as per law has been taken against publicly elected representatives cutting across political lines for taking law into their hands.
Meanwhile, officers of the Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) cadre met the chief secretary Suresh Chandra Mohapatra in connection with the attack on BDO and demanded security for all officers.
