BJP stages protest against 5T Secy’s Ganjam visit; MLA Pradeep Panigrahy 'manhandled' by BJD workers 

Ahead of the 5T secretary’s visit to Ganjam district today, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers put up a protest at Kanishi Square coming under Gopalpur Assembly constituency. 

Going on to show their objection to the 5T secretary’s visit, the saffron party workers waved black towels. Despite the preventive detention of Alok Satpathy, secretary of the BJP organising district Ghumusar’s Yuva Morcha, the party workers staged a strong protest to the visit of the 5T secretary. 

Early in the morning, the police had taken Satpathy in preventive detention arrest. While he was in Beguniapada market, the cops took him away. 

On the other hand, Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahy threw an open challenge to the BJD-led government, saying he would visit Ganjam district and that if anything happens to him, the government will be responsible for that. 

“I am now leaving for my Assembly constituency to attend a programme at Kanishi Balaji Vidyapeeth. Yesterday I had informed the government about my today’s programme through a press conference,” said Panigrahi. 

“I came to know that some people have been deployed at Khordha and some other locations to stop me. If anything bad happens to me, starting from the Chief Minister to the Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, DG Police, DCP Bhubaneswar and all SPs of Khirdha, Berhampur and Ganjam will be responsible for that,” Panigrahy added. 

Expressing concern over the deployment of 4,000 policemen at Kanishi ahead of the 5T secretary’s visit, he said, “Is there any justification for deploying 4,000 policemen at a place like Kanishi? Why such an arrangement? Is the Chief Minister going there? I am still saying I will welcome the Chief Minister with folded hands. But for an officer, deployment of such a huge police force is ridiculous.” 

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