4000-strong police force for private secretary but nothing for MLA: Pradeep Panigrahy

Following egg attack on his vehicle and alleged manhandling, Gopalpur MLA, Pradeep Panigrahy asked how do you justify a 4000-strong police force for a private secretary’s security and absolutely no security for a public representative?

Speaking to reporters after he was stopped midway by BJD supporters while going to Kanishi in Ganjam, Panigrahy said, “I have been constantly followed and attacked after I announced that I will visit Kanishi on the day Pandian visits that place. There are some goons of the BJD who tried to attack me by climbing on my vehicle. The police have stopped me on the Highway and not allowed me to move ahead.”

“I called the SP about my situation and asked him for police arrangements so that I can attend my meeting at Kanishi. While he agreed, he is yet to make arrangements for my meeting. It is a sheer travesty that 4000 police personnel are deployed for the security of a private secretary and there is none for an MLA,” Panigrahy added.

Panigrahy urged the Chief Minister to help him re-establish democracy in Odisha and abolish the bureaucracy which has been eating away the State like termites.

The MLA was intercepted near the Lanjipalli flyover allegedly by BJD workers. A heated argument broke out between supporters of the lawmaker and the ruling party workers. It was alleged that Panigrahy was manhandled by the supporters of the BJD.

BJD worker, Nalinikant Debadarshi said "The Gopalpur MLA has duped lakhs of rupees from the Gopalpur residents in the name of providing jobs in Tata company. He has also done anti-people activities for which the public is resenting." 

"Despite the efforts of police to pacify the protestors, some eggs & stones landed on the vehicle. The protestors also tried to attack him as well. We resolved the issue between them and pacified the protestors," said Berhampur SP, Saravana Vivek M.

Earlier in the day, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers waved black towels as a mark of opposition to the 5T secretary’s visit. Despite the preventive detention of Alok Satpathy, the secretary of BJP Ghumusar Yuva Morcha, party workers launched a massive protest against the visit of the 5T secretary.