Bhubaneswar: State BJP President Manmohan Samal on Thursday questioned the silence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the communal violence erupted in Sambalpur last evening.
When the motorcycle rally organized for Hanuman Jayanti yesterday in Sambalpur was going on peacefully, the manner in which some anti-social Muslims pelted stones, attacked with swords, hit them with lathis, and burnt the vehicles was very painful and condemnable, Shri Samal said.
More than 10 policemen and some Hindus participated in the procession were injured in the incident.
“Who is disturbing peace-loving Odisha and how the State Government is tight-lipped is a big question,” the BJP President said.
Though 12 hours have passed since the incident, why is the Chief Minister, who is holding the Home department, sitting silent without giving any explanation?, he questioned.
The failure of the Police Department in the incident is visible. Before the procession, the Hanuman Jayanthi Samanoya Samithi had urged the District Administration to deploy more police personnel in communally sensitive areas where there was a risk of such incidents. Why did the State Government not pay attention to that direction?, he further questioned.
Though few policemen were deployed for the rally, all remained silent spectators during the violence, he alleged.
“What the State Police doing? It is very surprising that under what circumstances, a large amount of stones were stored on many houses by anti-social Muslim youths and how the intelligence system doesn’t have any clue about it?,” Shri Samal asked.
Many videos are going viral in the media and social media where it is clear who is attacking the Hindu youths. However, the police are not arresting them, he further alleged.
Manmohan asked whether there is pressure on the police not to arrest the rioters from the ruling party or the government.
Hundreds of bikes of the Hindu brothers involved in the procession have been attacked. Many, including Hanuman Jayanthi Co-ordinating President Damdor Kar, are still in critical condition, he said, adding, “Common people in Sambalpur are now in terror.”
Tomorrow is the holy Hanuman Jayanti. So, the government should take efforts to ensure that the common people can celebrate the Jayanti peacefully, he added.
If the Police is incapable, he urged the State Government should immediately request the Central Government to provide Central Security Forces.
The BJP State President demanded that the State Government should set up a high-level committee to investigate the incident and arrest all the rioters within 24 hours.
Calling violence as a “Governance Deficit”, senior BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan alleged that the law and order situation has completely collapsed in Odisha.
He described the violence in Sambalpur as an “Unfortunate” incident. Shri Pradhan said that he was pained that the police personnel were targeted and 10 of them were injured besides a large number of civilians.
Police personnel getting injured in the clash is a classic case of deterioration in law and order situation” in the state, he said, adding that the state government has failed to maintain order in Sambalpur, the city where Hanuman Jayanti celebrations are being held for a long time.
Apart from the police, a lot of poor and innocent people were also attacked and left injured, he said.
BJD Spokesperson Shreemayee Mishra urged Shri Pradhan not to politicise the law and order situation in Odisha.
“Such law and order situations are much more in BJP-ruled states like Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and even in Madhya Pradesh from where you are elected to Rajya Sabha,” she said.
Such incidents are sensitive matters and should be dealt with restraint rather than by politicizing it, Shrimati Mishra said.
To handle the law and order situation firmly all necessary steps have been taken to ensure normalcy and peace which is evident to everybody, the BJD leader added.
Meanwhile, Sambalpur SP B. Gangadhar said 43 persons have been detained in the incident, of which 26 have been forwarded to Court after getting evidence against them.
The police conducted a flag march from Zilla School Chhak to Gengutipali Chhak on Thursday to maintain law and order in the town. Sambalpur District magistrate Ananya Das and SP Shri Gangadhar participated in the flag march.
Shrimati Das assured a peaceful procession on Hanuman Jayanti scheduled to be observed on April 14.
“We discussed with both the groups and they have assured us to conduct the Hanuman Jayanti procession in a peaceful manner. We have taken strong action against the people involved in yesterday’s violence,” said the District Magistrate.
More number of forces have been deployed on the ground and made requisitions for additional platoons of police force for Hanuman Jayanti procession tomorrow, she said.