BJP demonstrates against attack on Union ministers

The BJP staged a demonstration here today against the Naveen Patnaik government over the recent attack on the convoy of two union ministers allegedly by BJD workers and threatened to demand President's Rule in the state.
BJP leaders and workers held a sit-in in front of the Raj Bhavan accusing the BJD government of having "failed" to provide adequate security to Union ministers Santosh Gangwar and Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti as well as former Jharkhand chief minister Arjun Munda at Bargarh on June 24.
A party delegation, led by state unit president Basant Panda, also submitted a memorandum to the Governor.

Claiming that the attack on the convoy of the Union ministers was "pre-planned", the BJP leaders accused the police of allowing workers of the ruling BJD to "target" the cavalcade at the behest of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Terming the violent incident at Bargarh as shameful and deplorable, BJP National General Secretary and Odisha In-Charge Arun Singh said if no action was taken against those involved then the party would be forced to demand imposition of President's rule in the state.
First, the ministers were "warned" against visiting Odisha, which was followed by tearing of posters and waving of black flags, he said.

Finally, the convoy of the Union ministers and senior BJP leaders was attacked and stones were pelted when they were on their way to attend a "Vikas Utsav" organised by the party to celebrate completion of two years of Narendra Modi government, Singh said.

BJP leaders also alleged that the administrative inquiry ordered into the incident as an "eyewash aimed at sparing those involved in the attack".
The party had staged a statewide demonstration on June 29 accusing the state government of failing to take action against the culprits.
A BJP delegation is expected to meet the President to apprise him of the violence "perpetrated by BJD workers" at Bargarh, a senior BJP leader said.