Bargarh/ Bhubaneswar: The people of Kumbari protested the shoe-attack on Chief Minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik in their village on Tuesday evening by skipping dinner.
The local people came out in support of Naveen and the ruling BJD and even threatened not to let any other party to campaign in their village after police made it public that the youth, identified as Kartik Meher of Padampur, who hurled shoes at the Chief Minister, was carrying a BJP flag in his pocket.
Though BJP leaders denied any link with Meher, the locals deplored the incident and smelt political motive behind it. “This was after nearly three decades that a Chief Minister was visiting our village. Biju Patnaik was the last CM to have come calling,” said a villager.
Undeterred by the incident, Naveen went ahead with his plans and interacted with villagers and canvassed for votes for BJD candidate Rita Sahoo.
Pushed to the backfoot, the BJP, in a press statement, condemned the shoe-hurling incident. “We condemn the throwing of water pouches and shoes on the CM. Our party does not believe in violence. We have no link with the person who threw shoes at the CM. However, it is condemnable that BJD leaders started blaming BJP immediately after the incident,” BJP spokesperson Samir Mohanty said.
