Bhubaneswar: Apprehending a possible terror attack in the State, senior BJP leader and Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari on Monday demanded NIA probe into Sambalpur violence incidents and its possible link with Guddu Muslim, the associate of Uttar Pradesh’s gangster Atiq Ahmed who was recently killed along with his brother.
Holding a press conference here, Shri Pujari alleged that ‘anti-national slogans’ were raised during the recent Sambalpur violence on April 12. This proves the presence of anti-national elements there, he said.
Everyone is aware that the neighboring West Bengal has become a hotbed of anti-national activities today. From Motijharan in Sambalpur to Murshadabad, the epicenter of terrorism in West Bengal, buses are plying every day and hundreds of people are traveling every day, Pujari said.
“No effort is being made by the district police administration to keep detailed information about the passengers. This is one of the main reasons for the failure of communal harmony in Sambalpur,” alleged the BJP MP.
On the other hand, he said, everyone is aware about the terrorism and anti-terrorism campaign being carried out in Uttar Pradesh. Everyone also knew about murder of gangster Atiq Ahmad.
The Uttar Pradesh STF is looking for Guddu Muslim in this connection. After the Odisha links of Atiq’s main associate and notorious criminal Guddu Muslim came to light, there was a lot of apprehension in the public, he pointed out.
Shri Pujari further said that the visit of Uttar Pradesh’s dreaded criminal Guddu Muslim to Odisha’s Puri and Bargarh and his links with Sohela’s Raja Khan have raised several questions.
The behavior and speech of the anti-nationals who rioted in Motijharan, Sambalpur on April 12 on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti, are similar to the behaviors of Atiq Ahmad, he alleged.
Pujari asked what connection Raja Khan and Guddu Muslim have with the Sambalpur violence. What is Guddu’s political relationship and who is the political patron of Raja Khan?, asked the BJP leader.
Secondly, the Uttar Pradesh STF came to Sohela and questioned Raja Khan, while the Odisha police are creating a lot of suspicions that Sohela could not be reached till now. Pujari expressed doubt that they may have the intention of making some big incident in Odisha.
The central government has repeatedly warned the state government about the security of Puri and the temple. Terrorists and heinous criminals are now taking shelter in Odisha as it turned out to be a safe haven for them, he further alleged.
Similarly, Asia’s largest Hirakud Dam is located in Sambalpur and the local residents have paid a lot for it, while the presence of Guddu Muslims in Bargarh raises questions about the safety of Hirakud Dam, Shri Pujari said.
“We have apprised Union Home Minister Amit Shah on these issues. Odisha Police does not have the resources to conduct a detailed investigation into such incidents and the State Government should hand the case over to the NIA. We should not let Odisha go the Bengal way,” Pujari demanded.
Reacting to this statement of Shri Pujari, senior BJD leader and Industries Minister Pratap Kesari Deb said that it was BJP which had been creating tension for the last 15 years. “Action should be taken against those breaking the law or instigating violence irrespective of the party affiliation. Let police and law do their work,” he added.
