Bhubaneswar: Paradip MLA from BJD Sambit Routray, who is also the son of veteran politician Damodar Rout, has landed in a soup with two separate police complaints being lodged against him on Monday in connection with a viral video in which he was allegedly seen hurling abuses at a woman during a visit to an ashram in Kujang block of Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district.
The woman, identified as Kanchan Swain, a member of BJP Mahila Morcha, has accused the legislator of misbehaving with her during an interaction at Bana Bihari Mutt renovation programme at Bagai gram panchayat. She was earlier with the BJD.
According to sources, Swain sought answers on some issues from Routray when he had gone to attend the Mutt renovation event under 5T programme on August 1. However, the MLA got triggered and reportedly hurled abuses at her. Later, she filed a complaint with police against the MLA and demanded strict action against him. “When I asked him as to what brought him to the Mutt, he got provoked and verbally abused me,” she stated in the complaint, and demanded strict action against him for trying to suppress her voice.
The Mahila Morcha, which has also lodged a complaint against the legislator, has threatened to take to the streets in case of police inaction.
Dismissing the allegation, Routray, in a video message, said that it was ploy of the BJP to defame him. “I have never misbehaved with any woman. I recently lost my mother and know the importance of treating women with respect. Since Kanchan Swain has known my family for long, I was informal in my interaction with her which got misconstrued and may have appeared disrespectful,” he said.
