Bhubaneswar: The row over BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Odisha Legislative Assembly Jaynarayan Mishra allegedly assaulting Dhanupally police station woman IIC Anita Pradhan during a programme protesting against the “deteriorating law and order situation” in the state in Sambalpur on Wednesday intensified on Thursday.
Hundreds of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) workers launched a violent agitation in the state capital and Sambalpur today demanding the removal of Jaynarayan Mishra from the post of LoP in the Assembly for his alleged “anti-women” behaviour.
Since early morning today, BJD workers gathered at the Lower PMG in Bhubaneswar and outside the Circuit House in Sambalpur demanding his removal from the post of LoP. The protestors even staged a gherao outside the BJP leader’s house. The frenzied protestors shouted slogans like “Down with Jaynarayan,” “Jaynarayan Murdabad,” and “Remove Jaynarayan from LoP post.”
Members of the Mahila BJD Morcha, the women’s wing of the ruling party in the state, burnt an effigy of Jaynarayan outside the Sambalpur Circuit House on Thursday.
A case under Sections 353, 354, 332, 294, 500, 341 and 506 of the IPC was filed against Jayanarayan on Wednesday on the complaint of the woman IIC Anita Pradhan.
While Jaynarayan was not seen anywhere in the public today, the BJP members sat on a dharna outside the Governor’s House in the capital city against the “falling law and order situation” in the state. Their agitation on the issue entered its third day on Thursday.
Soon after the incident on Wednesday, BJD spokesperson Shreemayee Mishra said: “Jaynarayan Mishra is a habitual offender with 14 cases, including murder, against him for which he also had been to jail. He is known for threatening and assaulting people. Today, he again assaulted an on-duty police officer. The video of this shocking assault is there for all to see.”
“The BJP should immediately remove him from the post of Leader of Opposition. Also, Odisha BJP and the MLA should apologize to 4.5 crore people of Odisha, especially the women, for having disrespected and denigrated the dignity of a female cop in public,” she added.
On the other hand, a BJP spokesperson refuted the allegations against Jaynarayan on Thursday saying that the LoP was feeling unwell during the agitation on Thursday and just pushed the concerned IIC to make some space for him. “Things are being fabricated to malign Jaynarayan and the party, he added. According to him, the BJP is determined to continue its agitation against the law and order situation in the state.
