JAGATSINGHPUR: A day after the BJP accused the BJD of conspiring to foil the IOCL inauguration event by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Paradip on February 7, a video footage being aired by a local news channel on Tuesday showed Niali BJD MLA Pramod Mallick being forced to walk wearing a saffron cap and scarf (part of BJP attire), by an irate mob of BJP workers.
Mallick had alleged that some BJP activists blocked his vehicle while he was on way to Paradip to attend the event on Sunday.
On Tuesday, the BJP workers, led by their leaders, took out a rally and staged a dharna in front of Tirtol police station demanding arrest of BJD MLA from Cuttack-Barabati Debashish Samantray for creating tension and attacking BJP workers on Sunday. Talking to mediapersons, district BJP president Upendra Biswal alleged that Samantray had hired goons from Cuttack and used them to restrict the entry of BJP workers from attending Modi’s meeting in Paradip.
Earlier, BJP leader Ramakant Bhoi had lodged an FIR against Samantray and others for their involvement in the attack on BJP workers and violence in Tirtol police station. Meanwhile, both BJP and BJD lodged FIRs at Tirtol police station. While Mallick’s PSO Badal Kumar Bhoi filed the complaint against BJP supporters alleging that he and Mallick were attacked while going to Paradip to attend the PM’s meeting, local BJP leader Ramakanta Bhoi in his complaint said Samantray attacked BJP supporters, said IIC Abhinab Dalua.