Opposition Slams BJD Over Odisha 5T Secretary’s Remark Against MLA

Bhubaneswar: A day after Odisha’s 5T Secretary V K Pandian made adverse remarks on Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi, opposition political Congress and BJP lashed out at Biju Janata Dal (BJD) saying the ruling party has no respect for elected representatives.

Reacting sharply to the veiled attack made by Pandian and the behaviour of BJD workers towards the Gopalpur MLA, Congress campaign committee chairman Bijay Patnaik told reporters that the culture of slavery has creeped into the ruling BJD.

What happened in Ganjam on Friday shows that BJD have lost all respect towards elected leaders, he said, adding that BJD leaders and workers are now left with two options – become slaves or go to jail.

The incidents against Panigrahi, who was expelled from BJD in 2000 for anti-party activities, might have been an outcome of conflicts within the ruling outfit, but a people’s representative was targeted, Patnaik said.

Attacking the BJD in same vein, PCC president Sarat Pattanayak said it was unfortunate on the part of a bureaucrat to call elected representative ‘betrayers.’ Insulting remarks by bureaucrats toward people’s representatives is unfortunate, he said, seeking to know as to who gave the bureaucrat the right to dub an MLA a betrayer.

Referring to the egg attack on Panigrahi, the PCC chief said attempt to murder cases under Section 307 were slapped for egg attack on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. However, others have gone scot-free for similar attack on Pradeep Panigrahi, he said.

Senior Congress leader and MLA Santosh Singh Saluja sought to know as to why no one has so far been arrested in connection with the egg attack on Panigrahi in Ganjam on Friday. It seems that the law is different for a government officer, he claimed. Different yardsticks are being followed for different people in the state, he said.

Leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) also mounted a stinging attack on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over the unsavoury remarks made by the bureaucrat against a legislator.

State BJP vice president Lekhashree Saumantsinghar alleged that the ruling BJD is seeking to keep its organisation active through the whirlwind tours being undertaken by the 5T Secretary to different parts of the state. By doing this, the Chief Minister is trying to maintain a clean image, while exposing the official, she said.

If the 5T Secretary is indulging in such activities and targeting an MLA with political motive they he should resign from government service and jump into active politics, the BJP leader said.

However, if everything happens without any checks and balance there will be anarchy, she said, claiming that Odisha appears to be witnessing anarchy and murder of democracy at present.