Bhubaneswar, Feb 9: The BJP alleged on Monday that several leaders of BJD, including some ministers, had made all attempts to foil the Paradip meeting of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to dedicate the IOCL refinery to the nation yesterday.
BJP spokesperson Sajjan Sharma also alleged that these leaders had torn the entry passes allotted by the IOCL to the invitees.
He named Energy Minister Pranab Prakash Das and alleged he was seen tearing the entry passes.
The BJP spokesperson also did not spare police and said they had taken all possible measures to stop the BJP workers and leaders from reaching the meeting venue.
“Under the leadership of BJD Cuttack-Barabati MLA Debasis Samantray, all roads leading to the meeting venue were blocked at about 2 AM on Saturday. As a result, the vehicles could not reach the venue,” he said adding the BJD leaders tried their best to prevent senior BJP Rudra Narayan Pani, Pratap Sarangi and Rama Chandra Panda going to the meeting place.
However, he denied involvement of BJP workers in the attack on BJD Niali MLA Pramod Mallick. “Some of the ruling party members, who are opposed to Mallick, were involved in the incident,” he said.
BJD MLA Pravat Biswal denied the allegations made by the BJP leader saying, “They were absolutely baseless.”
BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb slammed BJP and said, “ “It has exposed the sick mindset of the saffron party.” Deb said like the BJP, BJD too tried its best to welcome the Prime Minister.
Excise and Cooperation Minister Damodar Rout alleged misuse of IOCL money in the preparation of the dedication ceremony and demanded a probe by an independent agency into the “bunglings’. Rout alleged that Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan used IOCL’s money for his own publicity.
