Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi has strongly condemned the assault on Ratnakar Sahoo, the Additional Commissioner of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC). She stated that such actions contradict the principles of her party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The incident occurred during a grievance redressal meeting within the BMC office, where Sahoo was allegedly attacked by miscreants.
Sarangi has urged Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi to ensure strict action against those responsible for the assault to prevent similar incidents in the future. She acknowledged knowing some of the individuals involved but emphasized that the BJP’s ideology does not condone such behavior. Following the incident, the police have arrested three individuals.
The Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) Association initially planned a mass leave protest but postponed it after a meeting with Chief Minister Majhi. The Chief Minister assured the association that the culprits would be punished. The incident has triggered a political controversy, with opposition parties criticizing the attack. Naveen Patnaik, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief and former Odisha Chief Minister, expressed shock at the assault and called for immediate action against the perpetrators and any political figures involved. He criticized the incident, stating that it occurred in broad daylight within the capital city and questioned the state government’s ability to maintain law and order.