Odisha: Political slugfest between BJD, BJP over IT and GST raids in poll-bound Padampur

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], November 29 (ANI): The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Tuesday alleged that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been attempting to destroy the peaceful atmosphere in Odisha by importing its electoral violence tactics from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

The political slugfest between both parties build after the Income Tax raid on people related to Biju Janta Dal followed by the State GST Enforcement raid in poll-bound Padampur.

Addressing a press meet, BJD Rajya Sabha MP and national spokesperson Sasmit Patra said "Odisha is a peace-loving state and Odisha's culture has always been peaceful. However, the BJP is trying to turn Odisha into Uttar Pradesh or Bihar by indulging in electoral and political violence which is not the culture of Odisha."

"In the last 24 hours the lawless behaviour of the BJP in Padampur by-poll has come out strongly before the people of Odisha and their mask has fallen off. When there were IT raids yesterday morning at three locations in Padampur, not a single BJD worker or leader was seen at the locations," he said.

But on Monday evening, Patra said when GST raids were conducted in a cloth store in Padampur, three BJP leaders verbally assaulted the GST officials and obstructed them from discharging their Government duty.

"When the GST team was leaving the premises, BJP leaders ran after a woman government official and attacked and physically assaulted her apart from breaking a Government vehicle."

"The BJP's violence in Padampur did not end here. Today morning, BJP MLA Kusum Tete along with 100 BJP workers stormed into the house of businessman Govardhan Agarwal where GST raid was going on and obstructed the administrative and legal process. These and many more incidents are pouring in of BJP's lawlessness," Patra alleged

The BJD has demanded that the Chief Election Officer and the Election Commission take strong action to ensure that this alleged lawless behaviour of the BJP is stopped so that the people of Padampur can have a free and fair bypoll.

Reacting to the BJD allegations and State GST raids, BJP Chief whip in Odisha Legislative Assembly Mohan Charan Manjhi said "Due to the fear of losing the election in Padampur, BJD ruled government is conducting a revengeful act of State GST."

As far as IT raid is concerned, Manjhi said BJP does not have a relation with it as IT Department takes its own action-based their own intelligence, but BJD is carrying out violence against BJP workers in Padampur.

"If they feel that any kind of violence is being done by BJP workers then why the police don't take any action as they have control on it," he added.

The Padampur bye-election will be held on December 5 and the results are scheduled to be declared on December 8.

The BJP fielded Pradip Purohit as its candidate for the upcoming bye-election to the Padampur Assembly Constituency in Odisha's Bargarh district.

The ruling BJD has fielded late party MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha's daughter Barsha Singh Bariha in the Padampur assembly seat bypoll.

The Padampur bypoll was necessitated following the demise of sitting BJD MLA Bijay Ranjan Singh Bariha on October 3. (ANI)

Source: National