Covid-19 Norms Violation: BJD MP Throws Weight Behind Uma, Other Leaders

Bhubaneswar: BJD MP Rajashree Mallick on Monday defended party MLA Umakanta Samantray and other leaders over the alleged violation of Covid-19 guidelines while attending the funeral of late senior leader Pradeep Maharathy at Swargadwar in Puri on October 24.

“Uma has done nothing wrong in attending the funeral,” said Rajashree in defence of the Satyabadi MLA, who was Covid-19 positive at the time of his presence at the funeral of Maharathy.

Rajashree’s statement comes in the background of a video released by Samantray on Saturday in which the Satyabadi MLA apologised for violating Covid-19 guidelines during the funeral.

In the video he said that he was Covid positive and it was a mistake to attend the funeral ceremony of Pradeep Maharathy.

“No one is above the law and I am ready to accept whatever legal action is taken against me for violating Covid-19 norms,” he had stated.

A case was registered against the MLA at Sea Beach Police Station on Friday for violating the Covid-19 norms.

It is also worth mentioning that, on September 28, Samantray had informed through Twitter that he had tested positive for Covid-19.

Besides Samantray, few other BJD leaders had also attended the funeral throwing Covid-19 guidelines to the wind.

Rajashree also came out in support of them. “No BJD leader has done any mistake,” she said.

On the other hand, she alleged that the BJP MP from Bhubaneswar, Aparajita Sarangi, had completely violated Covid-19 guidelines during her birthday celebrations.

“People taking part in her birthday celebration should be tested,” she said.

The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday had sealed the office of Sarangi, who is also a national spokesperson of the BJP, at Palaspalli, a day after the Odisha government wrote to the Centre alleging violation of COVID-19 guidelines by her.

In a sharp reply, Sarangi had questioned the double standards of the Odisha government in dealing with such violations. She showed 17 photographs and a video, claiming violations by BJD MLAs and ministers and sought action against them.

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