BJP, BJD and Congress, all three major parties in Odisha held protests on different issues in Bhubaneswar on Monday. The city witnessed hectic political activities as the trio hit the streets with their different demands.
While BJP launched its agitation to gherao 'Naveen Niwas' (Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s residence) over the death of a zilla parishad member of Puri district and the issue of a woman blackmailer, the ruling BJD too held a demonstration near the Raj Bhavan here blaming the Narendra Modi government over non-payment of crop insurance to farmers in the state.
The police stopped the saffron party workers at the Sishu Bhawan Square, about 500 m from the chief minister's residence and a scuffle ensued. The police was, however, successful in stopping the BJP protestors from proceeding and turned them away. There were, however, no reports of any injuries on any side.
The saffron party workers led by its national spokesperson Sambit Patra staged a different agitation, beating gongs and wearing masks of different BJD leaders, including some ministers allegedly involved in the Archana Nag blackmailing episode.
“We are agitating to ensure that our voice reaches the chief minister who remains silent on different issues and shields the tainted leaders,” Patra told reporters.
The BJP had earlier threatened to gherao Naveen Niwas if the state government did not reveal the names of the leaders linked to the Archana Nag episode and demanded a CBI probe into the matter.
Nag, a 26-year-old woman, was arrested by police on October 6 on the charge of blackmailing people including politicians allegedly by trapping them in a sex racket.
Her husband was also arrested later.
Congress holds protest against BJP
The Congress on its part launched its ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’ in Odisha from Indira Gandhi Park here with an aim to highlight the alleged failure of the BJP government at the Centre and BJD misrule in the state.
BJD MLA Ananta Narayan Jena said the party is not perturbed by BJP’s allegations. "The government has taken actions in all such cases raised by the opposition," he said.
BJP's agitation was criticised by the ruling BJD which accused the saffron party of using children in its march to the chief minister's residence and lodged an official complaint with the chairperson of Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights.
(With PTI input)
Also Read: Archana blackmailing case: Opposition seeks Naveen Patnaik’s statement
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