Arrested Odisha MLA Produced In Court; BJP Leaders Gherao Police Station

Deogarh: BJP workers led by their three MLAs on Sunday staged a demonstration in front of Deogarh police station in protest against arrest of local legislator Subash Chandra Panigrahi for allegedly attacking a BDO.

The legislators of the saffron party, Kusum Tete, Mohan Majhi and Bhabani Bhoi along with party workers staged the demonstration and raised slogans against the state government. Former Kuchinda MLA Rabi Naik also took part in the agitation.

Alleging that Panigrahi was a victim of a conspiracy by ruling BJD and local police, they demanded release of the legislator. They said the police had taken a partisan step by arresting Panigrahi and ignoring the complaint filed by him against Tileibani BDO Krushna Chandra Dalapati.

Stating that the MLA had filed a complaint of misbehaviour against the BDO before the latter’s complaint, the agitating BJP leaders demanded arrest of Dalapati.

BJP leader and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has also condemned the arrest of Panigrahi. Expressing his concern that some government officials were not working in impartial manner and acting on dictation of ruling BJD, he said it was an example of the state government’s attempt to suppress the voice of the Opposition.

Countering the BJP allegation, BJD spokesman Lenin Mohanty said assaulting and intimidating government officials has become a habit of the BJP public representatives in the state and the saffron party is protecting them instead of condemning their violence.

“When Union Minister and BJP’s Lok Sabha MP (Biseshwar Tudu) assaulted government officials, we expected that Odisha BJP would condemn it but unfortunately they shielded him and tried to divert public attention. Today also when action as per law is being taken against BJP MLA Subash Panigrahi, the BJP is protecting him and his misdeeds,” he said.

Meanwhile, Panigrahi, who had hospitalised after falling sick, was produced in Deogarh court. While being taken to Deogarh following his arrest from his official quarters in Bhubenswar, the MLA complained of feeling uneasy on the way and was admitted in community health centre (CHC) at Chhatabar under Riamal block in the district.

However, the police took him to the court after he recovered from the illness and produced him along with two others,  allegedly involved in the BDO assault case, in the court.

Also Read: Arrested Odisha MLA Subash Panigrahi Falls Sick, Admitted To Hospital