Odisha CM To Kejriwal To Manmohan… Politicians Targeted By Shoe-Protesters

Bhubaneswar: Ever since Iraqi journalist Muntadhar-al-Zaidi threw his shoes at then US President George W Bush during a press conference in Bahgdad in 2008, shoe-throwing has become a popular form of political protest.

Indian politicians have also been at the receiving end of such protests. Politicians in Odisha too have not been spared.

On Sunday evening, a man allegedly hurled slippers at BJD leader and Odisha’s Law Minister Pratap Jena. The incident took place in his home constituency Mahanga in Cuttack district.

Jena was attending the Sarat Ustav in Erakana when the accused allegedly hurled slippers at him, which missed the minister. Jena is facing the political heat over the sensational Mahanga double murder case.

Following are prominent Indian politicians targeted by shoe-protesters:

Naveen Patnaik, Odisha Chief Minister

In February 2018, a man hurled footwear at the CM during a speech in a village in Bargarh district. The CM dodged the footwear. Patnaik was in Bargarh to campaign for the BJD candidate for the Bijepur bypoll. The accused was identified as Kartik Meher.

P Chidambaram, former Finance & Home Minister

Chidambaram, then Union Home Minister, was targeted in 2009 at the Congress headquarters in New Delhi by Jarnail Singh, a Hindi journalist. Singh was allegedly angry at Chidambaram over his reply on the CBI clean chit to Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case.

Manmohan Singh, former Prime Minister

During one of his rare public rallies, a protester hurled footwear at Singh during an election rally in Ahmedabad in 2009. The shoe missed him. The then PM told the police not to file a case against his attacker.

L K Advani, BJP leader

Advani was targeted by a shoe-thrower in April 2009 while addressing a rally in Katni district of Madhya Pradesh. The accused was a former BJP district vice-president, who called Advani a ‘fake iron man’.

Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi Chief Minister

In April 9, 2016, Kejriwal was targeted by a shoe-protester during a roadshow in Delhi to announce the odd-even scheme. The accused, Ved Prakash Sharma, was part of a breakaway faction of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader

A protester hurled a shoe at him during a roadshow in Sitapur district of Uttar Pradesh during September 2016.