Attack on union ministers 'pre-planned' by BJD govt, says BJP

Bhubaneswar: Sharpening its attack on the Naveen Patnaik government over attack on the convoy of two Union Ministers at Bargarh allegedly by BJD workers, BJP on Wednesday staged state-wide demonstrations accusing it of failing to take action against culprits. [caption id=“attachment_2699510” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik[/caption] Amid slogan shouting, BJP workers held demonstration in all the blocks of the state alleging that the attack on the convoy of Union Ministers Santosh Gangwar and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti on 24 June was “pre-planned” and it was perpetrated at the “behest of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik”. The BJP has also planned an agitation near Raj Bhavan in the state capital Bhubaneswar on 4 July  and a party delegation is expected to meet the President to apprise him of the violence perpetrated by BJD workers at Bargarh, senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra said. Terming the administrative inquiry ordered into the incident as a “mere eyewash”, BJP’s state unit President Basant Panda held the BJD government responsible for the “violent” incident and its failure to take action against those involved. Hitting out at the BJD government, Panda said no arrest has been made for the Bargarh episode even after five days, while immedite action had been taken against those who had demonstrated near the Chief Minister’s cavalcade in the past and they were booked for attempt to murder. Instead of adopting democratic means, BJD workers and leaders indulged in violence and stone throwing when the union ministers and senior BJP leaders were on way to attend the ‘Vikas Utsav’ to celebrate completion of two years of Narendra Modi Government, Panda said. Speaking in similar vein, another senior leader and former Odisha BJP President Suresh Pujari claimed no action has been taken against those involved in the “murderous” attack whereas attempt to murder charge had been slapped against people for pelting eggs at CM’s cavalcade. The BJP leaders alleged that the attack on the convoy of the Union ministers had been unleashed at the “behest” of the Chief Minister as the ruling BJD was worried over the rising popularity of BJP in the state.