Take action against Odisha BJP workers for attacking WB residents in Bhadrak, Derek urges Naveen

Bhubaneswar: Deeply perturbed by media reports about the physical assault of people from West Bengal’s Murshidabad residing in Bhadrak district, All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) MP Derek O’ Brien today wrote to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik seeking justice for his fellowmen in Odisha.

“As you would be aware, close to a hundred people from Bengal’s Murshidabad district stay and earn a livelihood in Odisha’s Bhadrak. Recently, they were physically assaulted by the local Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and forced to flee. They were beaten up with a bat after they refused to show documents to ‘prove their Indian citizenship’. A few days before this, they were videographed illegally and a video labeling them as ‘Bangladeshi informants’ was circulated on social media. Circulation of this video led to more targeted physical assault by the BJP leaders and supporters,” the TMC MP said.

The people of Odisha and West Bengal have held a close affinity for each other.

“At a personal level, as you know, my family and I have always shared a fond relationship with Odisha. The Constitution of India guarantees the right to live and earn freely and peacefully no matter where one might belong to. The assault on the people of Murshidabad must not become a blot on our nation’s ethos,” the West Bengal leader expressed in his letter.

Derek the CM requested to take urgent cognizance of the matter and bring the culprits to book.