JAGATSINGHPUR: After two years of silence, Parbati Sasmal who was assaulted by BJD workers for supporting BJP during the 2017 panchayat elections has decided to take up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Prime Minister is likely to visit Jagatsinghpur for poll campaigning ahead of the fourth phase election on April 29.
Parbati, a resident of Erasama, has vowed to lead the fight against atrocities on women and various forms of social injustice in the area. She has been able to motivate the womenfolk of Kalikuda, Ratanpur, Khurana and Dasmath villages and organised a women’s movement, said locals.
The poor woman, who manages her family by rearing goat, was assaulted by the ruling party workers as the people from her village had voted for BJP in the panchayat election. Though Parbati went to local police station to lodge a complaint, she was humiliated there and asked to approach the Prime Minister straight away.
Parbati also submitted a petition to Modi when he visited Odisha on April 15, 2017, for BJP national executive meeting. She was again attacked by the BJD supporters in the district for seeking help from the PM.
Later, a BJP delegation led by Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan sought the intervention of Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh over the issue. Even a team from the National Commission for Women had also visited the village and conducted a probe into the incident. Despite several appeals and requests, the State police are yet to take action against the culprits.
Parbati said, “In the last panchayat election, I was attacked by the BJD goons as we voted for the BJP. We will take up the assault issue again with the Prime Minister who is likely to visit Paradip or Erasama for campaigning this month.”
Vice-president of BJP’s OBC Morcha of the State Nrusingh Sahu said the State BJP leaders have urged the Prime Minister to address a rally in the district and the schedule is yet to be finalised.