BJP to stage demonstration near Raj Bhavan today

Bhubaneswar: Intensifying its stir against the Naveen Patnaik government in Odisha over the attack on the convoy of two Union Ministers at Bargarh allegedly by BJD workers, BJP today said it would stage a demonstration near Raj Bhavan on Monday.

BJP leaders and workers would hold a protest near the Raj Bhavan and submit a memorandum to the Governor protesting the BJD government's "failure" to provide adequate security to the two Union ministers, BJP's state unit spokesperson Sajjan Sharma said.

Claiming that the attack on the convoy of Union Ministers Santosh Gangwar and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti at Bargarh on June 24 was "pre-planned", BJP leaders including Sharma accused police of allowing workers of the ruling BJD to "target" the cavalcade "on the behest of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik".

BJP leaders also termed the administrative inquiry ordered into the incident as an "eyewash aimed at sparing those involved in the attack".

The party had staged a state-wide demonstration on June 29 accusing the state government of failing to take action against the culprits.

A BJP delegation is expected to meet the President to apprise him of the violence "perpetrated by BJD workers" at Bargarh during a 'Vikas Utsav' function organised to mark completion of two years of the Narendra Modi government, a senior BJP leader said.