BJP activists showed black flags to Higher Education and Science and Technology Minister Pradeep Panigrahy and ST and SC Development, Minorities and Backward Classes Welfare Minister lal Bihari Himirika here on Saturday.
Activists of the party’s Yuva and Mahila Morchas waived black flags and hurled eggs at the Ministers at DRDA Square when the Ministers were on their way to attend a meeting of the District Planning Board (DPB).
As the protestors tried to march towards cars of the Ministers, BJD supporters prevented them, resulting in a scuffle between them.
later, the saffron party activists sat in a dharna at DRDA Square opposing the BJD workers’ attack on them and also the visit of the Ministers. Police detained around 100 BJP activists in this connection and later released them.
Elaborate security arrangements were made at the meeting venue to avert any further untoward incident. The two Ministers along with the Rayagada district Collector and other DPB members attended the meeting.
However, the meeting was cut short as the Ministers left it hurriedly apparently for fear of further trouble
BJP activists have been opposing the visit of the State’s Ministers across the State since the BJD members attacked Union Minister Santosh Gangwar during his visit to Bargarh in June this year.