Bhubaneswar: Outraged over the stoning of Union Textiles minister Santosh Gangwar's car in Bargarh allegedly by BJD workers, the BJP today threatened a tit-for-tat response to the ruling party in the days to come.
The party said it would protest the visit of ministers in the Naveen Patnaik government everywhere in the state.
“They (BJD workers) have not only misbehaved with a guest of the State government, but have also shown disrespect to a man who represents these sections. The BJP will protest the visit of BJD ministers to any part of the State. And there is no timeline for this. Today’s protest by BJD workers could not have been possible without instructions from Naveen Patnaik,” BJP general secretary Bhurgu Buxipatra thundered.
BJP State president Basant Panda also trained his guns at the BJD supremo, saying; “Today’s incident is an example how the Naveen Patnaik government has looted the poor people and farmers of State in the name of development. The State government is in a tizzy about the fact that the BJP government has done in just two years what it could not do in the last 16 years, ….Today’s incident is very unfortunate.”
The strong reaction from the saffron leader came after Union Textiles minister Santosh Gangwar was shown black flags and his vehicle stoned on his arrival at Bargarh to attend Vikash Utsav celebrations commemorating BJP’s two years in power at the Centre. Footage aired by television channels showed the rear window glass broken suggesting that the minister’s vehicle was stoned. Gangwar, however, escaped unhurt.
Though on back foot after fresh revelations about the involvement of some of its actor-members in the Oscar chit fund scam and the patronage given to disgraced former assistant director of Directorate of Factories & Boilers (Medical) Dr Motilal Gouda by many BJD MLAs and at least one minister, the BJD appears determined to prevent any encroachment of its support base in western Odisha by the saffron party.
“We have only heard announcements by the Prime Minister and the Union ministers. No steps have been taken so far for the progress of farmers in the area. The announcements must see the light of the day,” BJD spokesperson Amar Satapathy said.