The Nuapada Zilla Adivasi Sangha has condemned the behaviour of the Patnagarh MLA Saroj Meher shown to Jayakant Sabar, PWD Junior Engineer, in Gambhari village of Belpada block.
A viral video making rounds in the social media shows how the MLA supported by his followers around him is forcing the JE to do 100 sit-ups in five minutes.
Jayakant belongs to Bargaon village of Nuapada district, thus the incident has created a lot of resentment among the people, especially the Adivasis here. Balkrishna Sabar, district secretary of the Adivasi Sangha, stated that the Sangha would be forced to call a mass strike in Balangir and Nuapada districts if the MLA is not arrested immediately.
"The MLA has humiliated an innocent man of tribal community, a Government official, in public, His family members, including his small children, also feel humiliated. The MLA should be arrested immediately for his unlawful act," said Sabar, who holds the post of chairperson of Khariar Panchayat Samiti. "If the MLA felt that the JE was wrong, he should have brought that to the notice of the concerned authorities. The way he behaved is despicable; it reveals his arrogance," added he.
The same sentiment was echoed by Sangha president, Bhanupratap Singh Majhi, Kartikeswar Mallik, Jemamani Dharua, Khamsingh Majhi, Hema Majhi, Mamata Majhi, Bidur Sabar and other members of the Sangha.