Police here on Thursday detained agitating BJP workers who tried to barge into the Ramlingeswar Park here to protest a non-vegetarian feast attended by ruling BJD Ministers and MLAs.
The BJD MLAs were at the park, where an idol of Lord Shiva is being worshiped, to attend the feast. Earlier on the day, they all had gone to participate the school transformation programmee inauguration event in the Chief Minister’s constituency Hinjili. Being informed about the non-vegetarian feast organised in the Shiva temple premises for the visiting BJD MLAs, some BJP workers rushed to the spot and attempted to prevent Agriculture Minister Arun Sahoo and some MLAs who reached there at around 8.40 pm.
As a result, a scuffle erupted between them and the police personnel, who were specially deployed there for safety of MLAs. Later, more MLAs came who were opposed by many more BJP workers.
As scuffle continued, police detained about 20 BJP workers and later released them."Ramlingeswar Park houses Lord Shiva, because of the non-veg feast of BJD MLAs, sanctity of the park is lost. We will not let it happen," said former Ganjam district BJP president Kahnu Charan Pati.
Later, a team of saffron party leaders led by Pati staged a protest meeting in front of the BeMC office and submitted a memorandum to the Commissioner.