Forest and Environment and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh was shown black flags by BJP activists at Gandhi Square here while he was on his way to flag off a marathon on the occasion of Biju Birth centenary celebrations here on Sunday.
Police intervened and snatched the black flags from the protesters and detained over a dozen saffron party members, including district BJP president lingaraj Dalabehera, Bhagaban Mahanty and Satyanarayan Behera.
Bhagaban Mahanty said the BJP did not object to the holding of marathon but protested the Minister’s visit.
“We are opposing Ministers’ visits and would continue to do so,” said another BJP leader.
However, Arukh said he did not see any black flags shown to him.
later, the marathon went off peacefully from Gandhi Square to Biju Patnaik Square amidst elaborate security arrangements.
Notably, BJP workers have been protesting the BJD Ministers’ visit at various places across the State to avenge the BJD members’ attack on Union Minister Santosh Gangwar’s convoy during a BJP rally in Bargarh last month.