In an act of hooliganism, several BJD supporters led by Begunia MlA Prasant Jagdev allegedly attacked BJP workers as they showed black flags to Ministers Sanjay Dasburma and Pushpendra Singh Deo at Manmunda in Boudh district on Friday.
The BJP Yuva Morcha district president filed an FIR against Dasburma, Singh Deo, Jagdev, Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation Corporator Amresh Jena and Biju Yuva Janata Dal vice-president Bijay Nayak at the Manmunda police station.
According to reports, around 10 BJP workers showed black flags to the two Ministers at Manmunda when they were on their way to the Boudh Collector’s office to protest against construction of projects in the upper catchment of the Mahanadi by the Chhattisgarh Government.
The BJD supporters who were accompanying the Ministers came out of cars and started thrashing the BJP workers in the presence of police.
A BJP worker was kicked badly by BJD supporters on his face and chest.
The police didn’t stop ruling party supporters from attacking BJP workers but took eight of BJP workers to preventive detention, sources said.
“We were protesting in a democratic way. They suddenly came out of cars and attacked our workers. Three of our workers were injured in the attack,” said BJYM Boudh president Narayan Karmi.
BJP State spokesperson Sajjan Sharma condemned the attack on party workers saying, “The BJD has been frightened by the BJP’s popularity in the State. Exposure of its failures and corruptions has made BJD leaders
angry and inhuman,” said Sharma.
Meanwhile, party leader Prithviraj Harichandan informed a Press meet here that a team of BJP MlAs led by KV Singh Deo would visit the spot at Manmunda on Saturday and conduct an inquiry.