PATNAGARH: THE BJP workers on Tuesday hurled eggs and tomatoes at the vehicle of Handloom and Textile Minister Snehangini Chhhuria at three different locations during her visit to Patnagarh.
Chhuria was in Patnagarh to attend fairs organised by self-help groups at Patnagarh, Belpada and Khaprakhol under the aegis of Women and Child Development Department. She entered Patnagarh via Gaiselet in Bargarh district where her vehicle was first attacked with eggs. She was shown black flags at Dalpali.
As Chhuria ignored it and moved ahead, similar demonstration was staged at Ramji Chowk in Patnagarh town. The police, who were clueless, changed the route. But the move proved futile and the Minister’s vehicle came under attack at the bus stand and at Dhumabhata Chowk of the town. The workers hurled eggs and tomatoes at the vehicle.
While police took BJP worker Dhananjay Rout into custody at Ramji Chowk, party’s district secretary Shailabala Bag and Mahila Morcha leader Pramodini Bhorasagar were detained at Dumabhata.
An undeterred Chhuria went ahead and attended the programme at Subhadra Bhawan of the town before proceeding to Khaprakhol to attend the next programme.
Chhuria said she was unperturbed by the incident as she had come to work for the welfare and uplift of women. People should understand that the area is lagging behind in development and things need to be set right for their benefit. “Politics and development of the area are two different things and it is not right to mix the two,” she said.
Police, who were caught unawares, detained three BJP workers, including two women, for their alleged involvement in the incident.
The detention kicked off another storm with Balangir district BJP president Bhaktabandhu Nayak claiming that policemen were deployed to pick up women BJP workers. The BJP also gheraoed Patnagarh police station protesting detention of BJP workers and demanding their release.
Admitting that BJP workers had hurled eggs, Nayak said the Minister was scheduled to attend three State Government programmes in Patnagarh sub-division but local MLA K V Singhdeo was invited only for the Monday evening function making it difficult for him to be present. “It was an intentional agenda of the ruling BJD and will not be tolerated,” Nayak added.
On September 13, eggs were pelted at the vehicle of Agriculture Minister Pradip Maharathy during his visit to Balangir.