Bhubaneswar: While the second phase of polling in Odisha for five MP seats and 35 assembly seats concluded today, there were reports of violence by Bharatiya Janata Party workers. , while addressing the press at BJD headquarters ‘Sankha Bhawan’ on Monday said: “BJP has resorted to violence in the second phase of poll, apprehending defeat. He narrated a series of incidents of violence by BJP workers during the polls on Monday.
According to him, a stabbing case was reported under the Bargarh assembly segment, where the accused, Ashok Mahanand, stabbed Biswnath Mirdha. This incident is a personal feud between two individuals in a drunken brawl and is not politically motivated. But the BJP wanted to make it a political issue and highlighted the same in that manner.
According to sources, in Maheswarpinda Booth No 28 and Amurda Booth No 09, Roxa Gram Panchayat, Boudh Block, Kantamal Assembly Constituency, BJP leaders, workers, and supporters of BJP MLA Candidate Saroj Kumar Pradhan have engaged in booth capturing and rigging.
Smt. Kusum Tete BJP MLA Candidate Sundergarh Assembly constituency today 20-05-2024 along with her supporters threatened voters in Ward Number 7 of Sundergarh Municipality booth number 213.
Shri Naveen Jain, BJP MLA Candidate for Titlagarh, has been continuously threatening BJD workers as he fears defeat. He is constantly intimidating people to vote in favor of the BJP or face severe consequences.
At Atabira assembly constituency, BJP workers disguised as volunteers are coercing disabled voters to vote for the BJP at Sualkhandta GP, Jogipali polling station, Booth No. 221. Similarly, at Bargaon, under Ainpali GP, Booth No. 212: BJP workers heckled BJD voters and booth agents.Again in Salepali, Areigudi GP, Booth No. 246: BJP workers manhandled BJD men.
These incidents of violence are deeply concerning and raise serious doubts about the integrity of the electoral process in Odisha. It is imperative that immediate action is taken to ensure the safety and security of all individuals involved in the election process. We urge the Election Commission of India to enhance security measures and ensure high security for voters to uphold the principles of democracy and ensure a free and fair election in Odisha.
One particularly alarming incident occurred on the morning of May 20, 2024, in the Padampur assembly constituency. Shri Dayanidhi Suna, a resident of Village Sargibahal, GrampanchayatSargibahal, was brutally attacked by BJP workers who are known supporters of GobordhanBhoy, the BJP MLA Candidate for Padampur. The attack took place near the Panchabhaya Booth, leaving Shri Suna severely injured. Additionally, the BJP workers issued life-threatening warnings to him. Such acts of violence are completely unacceptable in a democratic society and severely undermine the principles of free and fair elections.
At Negimanda Village under the Bhatli Assembly Constituency. Shri Sananda Sahoo, a resident of Negimanda Village, was kidnapped and brutally thrashed by supporters of Shri Irashis Acharya, the BJP MLA candidate of Bhatli, solely for his initiative to open a Biju Janata Dal (BJD) office in the village, the BJD national spokesperson said.
BJP leaders shedding crocodile tears in name of tribal development: Amar Patnaik
In a press conference held today at Biju Janata Dal’s headquarters ‘Shankh Bhawan’, the party’s national spokesperson Dr. Amar Patnaik addressed the media and said that the BJD government is always giving priority to the development of tribal communities.
“Out of the total tribal population in the Country, 9.2 per cent reside in Odisha and of the total population of the state, 22.8 per cent are tribals,” the BJD leader said adding that it is not possible to develop Odisha without the development of the tribal community. And, which is why Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has promised the development of the tribal communities as his fifth guarantee in the Biju Janta Dal’s electoral manifesto.
Dr Patnaik said the leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party in their election meetings are only shedding crocodile tears for the development of Odisha’s tribal community, but they have no such intentions.
