Attack On Dharmasala MLA In Odisha: BJD, BJP Trade Charges Over Police Action

Jajpur: Ruling BJP and Opposition BJD were engaged in trading charges against each other on Sunday over arrest of Bhaba Prakash Das, the brother of BJD leader Pranab Prakash Das for alleged attack on BJP’s Dharmasala legislator Himanshu Sahoo.

Speaking to media persons, BJD’s chief whip Pramila Mallik alleged that the police were behaving in a partisan way and harassing her party leaders and workers. It was against the basic principles of democracy and the BJD highly condemns the injustice, she added.

“All political leaders go to the people of their constituencies at the time of needs. But why Dharmasala MLA was moving around with more than 100 supporters in another area on the night of the incident? Besides, why none of his supporters was not attacked and did not file any police complaint? There are several issues that need to be clarified by the police,” Mallik said.

Claiming that law and order in the state had deteriorated under the BJP rule, she said no steps have been taken in criminal cases of group clashes, attack on minorities, thefts and sexual assault in Bhadrak and Balasore.

She said the leaders of her party would meet the Director General of Police on Monday and raise the issue with him. Besides, the BJD would launch state-wide protest if no remedial action is taken on the case.

On the other hand, the BJP’s state president Manmohan Samal said the BJD was yet to reconcile to its opposition status and was behaving irrationally.

Claiming that some leaders were fomenting unrest for personal gain, Samal said it was BJD which was flouting the norms of democracy. “They (BJD leaders) should condemn the attack on BJP legislator. Instead, they were indirectly supporting its perpetrators,” he added.

It may be noted that Sahoo was proceeding to attend a meeting along with an associate a few days back when some people were seen staging a road blockade near Budhapola under Jajpur Town police station by burning tyres.

When the MLA came out of his vehicle to enquire about the incident, some miscreants, who claimed themselves to be the supporters of Das, allegedly attacked him with iron rods and sticks.