Bhubaneswar: Women activists of the ruling Biju Janata Dal staged a dharna in Bhubaneswar on Thursday demanding ouster of BJP stalwart Jayanarayan Mishra as Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly over his alleged scuffle with a female police officer.
A large number of workers and leaders of the women wing of BJD assembled at Lower PMG in the state capital and staged a sit-in holding placards and banners to press their demand over the incident that happened during a BJP protest in Sambalpur on Wednesday.
Accusing the senior BJP leader of pushing and assaulting the woman police officer, the protesters sought an apology from him and demanded his removal as LoP.
Hitting out at the senior BJP leader over the alleged scuffle, BJD Spokesperson Shreemayee Mishra had alleged that Mishra is a habitual offender with 14 cases and he also had been to jail.
Claiming that Mishra is known for threatening and assaulting people, she said the BJP leader again assaulted an on-duty police officer.
BJD leadsers said that BJP should immediately remove Mishra from the post of Leader of Opposition. Also, Odisha BJP and the MLA should apologize to 4.5 crore people of Odisha, especially the women, for having disrespected and denigrated the dignity of a female cop in public, they said.
