BJD Levels Serious Allegations Against BJP Ahead Of Dhamnagar Bypoll

Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has leveled serious allegations against the leaders and workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Odisha unit for indulging in harassment, threatening and maligning women during the ongoing campaigning in the Dhamnagar assembly bypoll.

A delegation of conch party comprising several leaders and spokespersons, on Friday submitted a memorandum to Chief Electorate Officer in Bhubaneswar.

They have also demanded strong and stringent action against the Odisha BJP leaders and workers.

In the memorandum, BJD said, “It has become a common practice of the Odisha BJP that when elections come they realise that they are losing, then they keep running multiple times in a day to the Chief Electoral Officer and Election Commission to mask their fear of upcoming defeat. In the Dhamnagar by-poll now, we are also seeing the same pattern emerging.”

“Further, the Odisha BJP continues to harass, threaten and malign the Nari Shakti (Women Power) and Women leadership of Odisha in this Dhamnagar by-poll campaigning. Yesterday, the Biju Janata Dal had intimated the Chief Election Commissioner and an Election Commission of India about defamation and maligning of the image of Women Self Help Groups and their members by the Odisha BJP,” the memo read.

“The Odisha BJP has been circulating fake videos purportedly about these SHG women members that they have a political role in the Dhamnagar by-poll, especially with a masked lady stating so in a video. This blatant maligning of the Women SHG members has pained 4.5 crore Odias across Odisha and 41 not only in Dhamnagar,” the memo added.

“Instead of learning from its grievous behaviour, the Odisha BJP continues to assault, attack, harass, threaten, and malign women in Odisha. Yesterday, a senior woman Minister of Odisha and BJD senior leader, Pramila Mallik was obstructed, detained, verbally assaulted, and harassed in public view by the Odisha BJP leaders and workers during the Dhamnagar by-poll. The visuals of that situation are provided to you in a Pen-drive along with this petition for your kind consideration and to be treated as evidence of such crime against a woman leader of the State,” it further read.

“We demand stern action against BJP workers who have conducted such heinous behaviour and also that appropriate Police protection should be provided to the Nari Shakti of BJD who are being threatened, harassed, and abused by the Odisha BJP leaders and workers in this Dhamnagar by-poll campaigning,” it concluded.