PARLAKHEMUNDI: Berhampur BJD MP Chandrasekhar Sahu on Wednesday courted controversy after he was caught on camera slapping a party worker at a public meeting in Gajapati district. The video has gone viral on social media.
The incident took place on Tuesday when the party worker had come to receive an “angabastra” from the MP. The worker, Sangram Sahu, had recently joined the BJD after resigning from Gajapati district Youth Congress president post.
Faced with widespread criticism over the incident, Chandrasekhar said during his 45 years of political career, he has never misbehaved or ill treated any political worker.
The Lok Sabha member said: “I have not slapped him. In an attempt to discipline Sangram who refused to receive ‘angabastra’ from another leader, I pushed his face.”
The MP also alleged that some vested interests are unnecessarily making it an issue.
Sangram Sahu, who was slapped, also tried to come in defence of the leader saying the MP did not slap him but rather chided him with a gentle touch on his face. He has been a follower of Chandrasekhar Sahu for the last two decades and has highest regard for him as he was joining the BJD.
“I had gone to the meeting yesterday to formally join BJD. I did not know that BJD party observer was there. When he inducted me into the party by putting a scarf on my neck, I declined since I wanted it from the MP, who I have known for many years.”
“In fact, it is also due to his blessings that I joined BJD, so I don’t consider the incident as an insult,” Sangram said. “I even apologised to the observer immediately for my behaviour”, he added.
As the MP’s action went viral on social media, several leaders, including some from his own party, condemned the act. “A senior leader should not behave indifferently in public. The party president will consider it,” said Sanjay Dasburma, a senior BJD leader and former minister. BJP general secretary Bhrugu Baxipatra also condemned the MP’s action and dubbed it as “outrageous and shameful”.
OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik said, “No leader should behave like this. One should see whether the MP slapped the BJD worker out of anger or as a joke.”