This tea-seller is serving tea at discounted rates to those who chant ‘Pakistan Murdabad’

india

Updated: Feb 22, 2019 11:06 IST

A tea seller in Odisha’s Bhubaneswar is offering tea and coffee at a discounted rate to anyone who is ready to shout the slogan of “Pakistan Murdabad” or Down With Pakistan “to create a sense of nationalism” after the Pulwama attack.

Sarbeswar Patra, who runs a tea stall in Mancheswar area of the city, is offering tea and coffee at Rs 2 and Rs 3 respectively to his customers for saying “Pakistan Murdabad”.

“Anyone who shouts Pakistan Murdabad will get a cup of tea at Rs 2 and coffee at Rs 3. Pakistan is behind all terror activities in India. I want to create a sense of nationalism among the citizens,” said Patra.

At least 40 Central Reserve Police Force soldiers were killed in Pulwama on February 14 in the worst suicide bombing in Kashmir, an attack claimed by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed, proscribed as a terror group since 2002 by the United Nations.

Patra claimed a lot of his customers are shouting the slogan.

Similarly, a chicken shop owner in Chhattisgarh’s Jagdalpur is offering a discount of Rs 10 on leg pieces for the “Pakistan Murdabad” slogan and a restaurant in Navi Mumbai is also giving a 15% discount for the same.

Meanwhile, the demand for the sacking of Biju Janata Dal MLA Debasish Samantray seems to be increasing after a video of his alleged manhandling of the relatives of a CRPF soldier, who was killed in Pulwama attack, after a Pakistani television news channel telecast the video.

Azad News on Thursday aired a news bulletin with the clip of the BJD MLA shoving and pushing the uncle of CRPF soldier Manoj Behera mocking the concern of Indian politicians for the killed personnel. Azad News aired the clip that was put on the Hindustan Times website on February 19.

The incident allegedly happened during the Behera’s last rites at his native village of Ratanpur in Cuttack district on February 17. Thirty-three-year-old Behera was among the CRPF soldiers killed in the terrorist attack in Pulwama.

Though Samantray earlier apologised for his action, saying it was not intentional, the call for stronger action against the MLA increased soon after the Pakistani channel aired the clip.

Former BJD leader Damodar Rout demanded the arrest of Samantray, saying he has brought infamy to Odisha.

“Despite apologies, blogger Abhijit Iyer was sent to jail for making anti-Odisha remarks. So why should Debasish Samantray be spared? Due to him, Odisha got a bad name outside the state,” he said.

Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party also criticised the ruling party’s legislator.

“The way the BJD MLA misbehaved and manhandled with the martyr’s kin is totally shameful. This shows the real identity of Biju Janata Dal and the party should apologise for such an insult,” Congress spokesperson Satya Prakash said.

“The video clearly shows that the MLA is pushing the kin of the martyr and it speaks volumes about his character. The MLA should be immediately arrested for his actions,” BJP leader Lekhashree Samantsinghar said.

Responding to the criticisms, Samantray reiterated on Friday that he only made Behera’s relative sit after he pushed Union tribal affairs minister Jual Oram during the guard of honour.

“I had no intention of hurting anyone’s feelings,” said Samantaray.