Police attack on BJP youth workers arbitrary, a cause of grave concern: Dharmendra Pradhan

Bhubaneswar: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan came down heavily on the BJD-led Odisha Government after members of BJP Yuva Morcha clashed with the police during their rally in the State Capital on Tuesday. The rally was being carried out from the party’s State headquarters towards the Odisha Legislative Assembly, protesting Minister Naba Das’s murder and the deteriorating law and order situation in the State, when police intercepted the agitators at Mahatma Gandhi Marg here.

Calling the police attack on the youth activists unprovoked, one-sided and arbitrary, Pradhan said Odisha Police should not just work in the interest of the ruling party but also do the needful to protect over four and half crore Odias. “The manner in which police followed arbitrary directions from higher authorities and attacked the BJP youth workers is a threat to the system and does not augur well for a well-functioning democracy,” he said while condemning the incident on micro-blogging platform Twitter.

“The BJP Yuva Morcha members were gheraoing the Odisha Assembly in opposition to the failing law and order situation in the State. Every member of a democracy, including members of political parties, has the right to critique the government. The BJP’s youth workers too were doing their part and questioning the government in connection to the law and order situation in the State. But police treated them not like political workers but like criminals and attacked them in a very inhuman manner. This is very distressing,” the Union Minister said

On Tuesday, violent scenes unfolded at the site of protest as the agitators and police clashed during the rally. While the Yuva Morcha workers reportedly pelted stones at police on being intercepted, the latter resorted to lathi-charge to disperse them. Several cops and journalists were injured in the incident. The situation worsened as the BJP Yuva Morcha members pelted stones, eggs and water pouches at police. Several policemen, including DSP Amitabh Mohapatra, and journalists were injured in the incident. The police official was immediately taken to hospital for treatment.