Ruling BJD-BJP protest defacement of Biju statue

Bhubaneswar, July 31 (UNI) Ruling BJD and BJP members today sat on a dharna inside the Orissa Assembly premises protesting against the defacement of Biju Patnaik's statue at Raghunathpur in Jagatsinghpur district on July 28.

The statue was unveiled by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during his visit to the district on that day.

The ruling party members, who staged the dharna near the Biju Patnaik's statue, alleged that Congress workers had defaced it and demanded stern action against the culprits.

They later withdrew the dharna after Panchayat Raj Minister Raghunath Mohanty and government chief whip Kishore Mohanty persuaded them to come to the House and participate in the proceedings on the opening day of the monsoon session.

Meanwhile,the Jagatsinghpur police arrested ten people, including some local Congress leaders, for defacing the statue. Jagatsinghpur Superintendent of Police Y K Jethwa said the incident was the handiwork of local Congress activists who were rounded up as a precautionary measure prior to the visit of the chief minister to the district.

The police seized two vehicles used by the miscreants who had also confessed to the crime.

Peeved at the incident local people have called a Kishannagar bandh today.

UNI DP PL KR DS1443