Former Odisha BJP legislator attacked by man on stage; third such attack in a month

india

Updated: Nov 25, 2018 00:13 IST

A three-time lawmaker and former BJP leader Kharavela Swain was assaulted by a man in Odisha’s Rayagada district for criticising chief minister Naveen Patnaik during a meeting of his party, in the third such attack on him in a month, prompting the state government to order a probe into the incidents.

Utkal Bharat president Swain was addressing the meeting in Kashipur block on Saturday afternoon and had criticised chief minister Patnaik alleging the lack of development when some people interrupted the event.

“Who are you to hold a meeting here and without seeking our permission how can you organise a meeting here?” they asked Swain.

A 30-year-old man Sumant Nayak started abusing Swain a few minutes later and whacked him on his face with a rolled-up newspaper. A shaken-up Swain later said he had sought police protection for the meeting, but no one came.

“Some people came and started asking why I was speaking against the BJD (Biju Janata Dal). Since I am speaking against the Rs 1/kg rice scheme of the state government, BJD leaders are angry with me,” Swain, who shared the video of the assault on his Facebook page, said.

“… today’s attack was not carried out by people who are benefitting from the rice scheme but by those who have been misled by liquor. They were surely from the BJD because they warned me not to utter a single word against the BJD. They asked me whether our party belongs to BJD or BJP or Congress,” he said.

Swain, who has been addressing roadside meetings in the state for over a month, said chief minister Patnaik was feeling scared ahead of the Lok Sabha election next year and that’s why he engineered attacks on his political opponents.

Deputy inspector general of police (south-western range) Ashish Singh said Nayak has been arrested. “Initial investigations showed that he was with the Congress earlier. We will interrogate him further to know the reason behind the assault,” said Singh.

The further probe will be carried out by the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Additional DG into the attacks on Swain, the government announced late on Saturday.

The Congress’ state chief Niranjan Patnaik condemned the attack on Swain and said violence has no place in a thriving democracy. “Sadly, the BJD and its Naveen Gunda Vahini don’t understand it,” he said.

State BJP vice-president Sameer Mohanty said the incident proved the double standards of the chief minister who preaches non-violence on one hand and while on the other such violent attacks are being perpetrated.

BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra, however, denied the allegation, saying the attack on Swain was highly condemnable.

Swain had alleged last month that he was attacked twice by the BJD workers in Kendrapara and Balasore districts of the state.

On October 24, Swain was reportedly abused and dragged by his collar in Aul area of Kendrapara district for criticising the chief minister. He was allegedly manhandled by a BJD panchayat samiti member and the son of a BJD ward member again on October 31 when he was addressing a meeting in a village in Balasore district.