Bhubaneswar: With violent incidents reported from different parts of the state in the first phase of three-tier panchayat elections on Wednesday, opposition BJP and Congress have strongly condemned the state government failure in ensuring free and fair polls.
In a video message, OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik said the incidents of booth capturing, ballot box snatching and attack on media persons has exposed the government inability to maintain law and order during the panchayat elections.
He termed the violence, perpetrated by ruling BJD, as murder of democracy at grassroots level and said the ruling party intends to win the election with its money and muscle power.
Violence Proves Govt Failure To Ensure Peaceful Panchayat Polls: OPCC Chief – YouTube
The reported cases of involvement of government officials joining hands with the BJD workers in campaigning and bribing the voters is as much shocking as condemnable, the veteran Congress leader said.
He called upon the government to award exemplary punishment to the people involved in derailing the democratic process and spreading a state of lawlessness to restore the image of Odisha as a peaceful and just state.
State BJP leader and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan has also come down heavily on the government for poll related violence.
While overwhelming turnout of voters reflects people’s confidence in democratic process, violence during the elections is a matter of grave concern, Pradhan said in a tweet.
“I condemn the attempt of the ruling BJD to disrupt the election process by resorting to violent means and call upon the government to take strong action against the people involved in such acts so that a free and fair election can be ensure in the rest four phases,” Pradhan said in the tweet.
New Delhi: Nearly President again, Republican candidate Donald Trump thanked his supporters Wednesday and described…
Bhubaneswar: A week after resigning from Biju Janata Dal (BJD), former Odisha MLA Sunanda Das…
New Delhi: The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution asking the Centre…
New Delhi: Democrat candidate, Kamala Harris had to cancel her anticipated speech at Howard University…
Sambalpur: An elderly woman and her daughter were charred to death while sleeping at Hatapada…
New Delhi: Bollywood actress and talk show host Simi Garewal recently shared a post defending…
Keonjhar: A second-year student of a government engineering college in Odisha's Keonjhar on Wednesday brought…
New Delhi: Folk singer Sharda Sinha, who was admitted to AIIMS due to complications related…