Demanding to curb hooliganism and spread of drugs use in Puri, hundreds of BJD activists took out a rally along the Badadanda (Grand Road) from the Gundicha Temple and met SP Vishal Singh here on Tuesday.
They burnt effigies of BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra and Puri MLA Jayant Sarangi. They gave sloganeering against the duo leaders. However, some leaders within the BJD showed displeasure over the burning of effigies of the BJP leaders which they said was unnecessary as both Patra and Sarangi have nothing to do with the issue.Commenting on effigy burning, Puri district BJP women unit president and former chairman of Puri Municipality Santilata Pradhan said she disagreed with the effigy burning of the BJP leaders.
BJD State vice president Suvasish Khuntia, who was absent in the protest distanced himself from the row. Khuntia said that he was not part of the rally as he had no prior knowledge of it.
Later, party activists also met DIG (Central range) Asish Singh, who was present in Puri and discussed with him on the deteriorating law and order situation and urged him to give zero tolerance to crime and drugs trade. They handed over Singh a memorandum also.