Rourkela: BJP protested an 'illegal' act by Odisha Labour and Employee's State Insurance Minister Sarada Prasad Nayak, who allegedly pricked a needle to draw blood from a donor at the Rourkela Government Hospital recently.

Demanding the arrest of the minister, hundreds of activists of BJP Yuva Morcha led by district president Ankush Verma gheraoed the Raghunathpali Police Station today. They lodged a written complaint against Nayak for the practice without any medical degree.

"If a person impersonating a doctor is arrested as per the law, why Minister Sarada Nayak cannot face arrest for illegal practice?" Verma asked.

"The minister in a video circulated in media was seen pricking the vein of a youth with a needle to collect blood at a blood donation camp. Is he eligible to do this? Is he a doctor or pharmacist? On which ground, he was allowed to administer the needle? If he was allowed for the service, we want district administration to allow us to serve the patients in hospitals here. Wearing a doctor uniform, we will also attend to the patients for treatment," he added.

Another protestor said, "Both Sarada Nayak, who is a non-medical practitioner, as well as the doctor, who allowed him for pricking the blood donor are liable to punishment by the law. Because pricking the vein of someone is not a trivial act. The wrong blood transfusion process can play havoc and lead to death of the patient. It is a big crime," adding "The police should register a case against the minister and the blood donation camp in-charge for the serious offence."

Notably, the three-time MLA, who represents Rourkela holds diploma degree in electrical engineering.

Nayak sparked controversy after a video of him pricking a voluntary blood donor to collect his blood surfaced on Wednesday.

In the video, the 64-year-old minister was seen measuring blood pressure of a youth and then pricking his vein to collect blood. He is asking for blood donation assuring him of 'No harm' under his supervision.

The minister is in news for wrong reasons these days following two of his videos went viral on social media.

Recently, he was seen in a viral video showering money on a qawwali singer at an event organised by a Muslim community of Sundargarh district.