‘Go Back Pandian’ echoes in Sambalpur ahead of 5T Secretary's visit

After Angul, Dhenkanal and Jagatsinghpur, BJP activists on Saturday staged a demonstration protesting 5T Secretary VK Pandian's visit to Sambalpur by wearing black clothes at Laxmi Talkies chhak.

‘Go Back Pandian, Go Back Pandian’ echoed in Sambalpur as hundreds of BJP activists, students, and women congregated at Laxmi Talkies square and staged the demonstration wearing black clothes.

The 5T Secretary has been receiving severe backlash across Odisha for visiting several districts by spending government money. The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress have accused him of doing political programmes for the ruling BJD.

“We Sambalpur residents are the people of Maa Samaleswari. We are hard-working people and live a life of dignity. Our homeland is very precious to us. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has come here and returned after making several promises. Sadly, not even one single promise by the CM has been fulfilled yet,” alleged a protester.

“So, now that people know that he is making false promises, the CM is not coming himself, but sending his personal secretary here. So, we do not want any more fake promises,” he said adding that at least 27 programmes have been organised during the arrival of 5T Secretary, but not a single work has been done in Sambalpur in the last 10 years.

Another protester said, “We have no problem if the Chief Minister or any minister visits Sambalpur. But, we will never allow a secretary to come here and rule us.”

It is worth mentioning that both BJP and Congress have stepped up their attacks on the ruling BJD dispensation over the 5T Secretary attending public grievances across the state and questioning why a single officer is being given so much importance in the state.

Meanwhile, the BJD leaders could not be contacted over the BJP's protest and allegations.