PARADIP: With Durga Puja ushering in the festive season in Odisha, as every year, extortion in the name of festive pandal collection by puja committees has started to haunt people in all places. Protesting such excess, one Rajesh Kumar Bai of Sandhakuda within Jatadhari marine police limits sat on dharna in front of the police station.
Forced to pay donation (chanda) of Rs 5000, Bai was harassed time and again by members of the local puja committee. With no option left, he decided to take the matter to police.Rajesh’s ordeal started when the local puja committee asked him to cough up Rs 5,000 as donation for the festival. With an ailing mother who was discharged from SCB Medical College and Hospital, Cuttack last week, Rajesh expressed his inability to pay. Irked over his refusal, around 50 local youths reached his house and threatened him with dire consequences.
The puja committee members then allegedly snapped the power supply to Rajesh’s house on Friday. Rajesh’s family and his ailing mother had to spend the whole day without power and on Saturday, he lodged an FIR at Jatadhari marine police station. He also sat on dharna to register his protest. “It is illegal for the local puja committee to demand donations from people. I was harassed by a crowd of 50 youths who later disconnected power supply to my house. I am concerned about my family’s safety and lodged an FIR with the police so that electricity connection to my house is restored and action taken against the culprits,” he said.
Rajesh’s is not an isolated case. Such incidents are common before the pujas when people are forced to pay by local puja committees. Those who hesitate or refuse are reportedly harassed and humiliated.
Meanwhile, Jatadhari marine IIC Debendra Mohapatra said members of the local puja committee confessed to have snapped power supply to Rajesh’s house over his refusal to pay donation. “Efforts are on to restore power supply to his house and the matter is under investigation,” he said.