Winning of Sony Samal as Sarpanch of Surapratapapur gram panchayat under Dhenkanal district’s Kamakshyanagar block in a bye-election held recently has brought the BJD’s hooliganism to the fore, alleged Anti Corruption Committee president Debashisha Hota.
“The bye-election was forced on the people of the GP by the administration at the behest of Mines Minister Prafulla Mallick. But people gave a befitting reply by electing Samal again,” Hota said.Hota said the bye-election was imposed on the people and a lot of money was spent because of hooliganism of the BJD.
“In August 2014, some women leaders had demanded the Bhuban BDO to suspend block Chairman Sudhanshubala Behera alleging that she had produced a fake caste certificate. Subsequently, Behera’s supporter Jamuna Tudu attacked Samal in a Samiti meeting. Samal soon filed an FIR against Tudu in the Bhuban PS. The opposite party too filed an FIR against Samal on the same day. Astonishingly, another FIR was lodged two days after the incident against Samal’s husband and other family members. They were arbitrarily arrested on August 25.
Thereafter, six Ward Members were kidnapped by some antisocial and were forced to sign the No Confidence Motion against Samal on September 20 at gun point, Hota said.
Samal then handed over a letter to the Sub-Collector the next day requesting not to bring the No Confidence Motion till there’s normalcy. But the Sub-Collector issued the No Confidence Motion Notice on September 8, much to her astonishment.
“later, Samal and her husband urged the district Collector and the SP to postpone the motion. They also suggested that if postponement of the motion was not possible, the SP should remain present at the Panchayat Office during voting. Since, SP remained absent on the voting day, the kidnapped Ward Members voted in favour of the No Confidence Motion in fear.
“BJD hooliganism and officer’s loyalty to them have been proved as Samal won the bypoll by a margin of 451 votes,” Hota said and demanded that the State Election Commissioners recover entire cost of the bye-election from ‘those guilty officials who were responsible for bringing No Confidence Motion against Samal and forced the bypoll.