BARIPADA: Normal life came to a standstill in Mayurbhanj on Monday as BJP observed 12-hour bandh demanding arrest of Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra for his alleged links with the accused in Mamita Meher murder case.
Business establishments, government and private offices, educational institutions, courts, banks and fuel stations remained closed while roads and National Highways wore a deserted look during the bandh.
BJP workers resorted to picketing at strategic locations across the district. Members of BJP Mahila Morcha staged road blockades in Rairangpur, Karanjia and Baripada sub-divisions demanding resignation of Minister Mishra and arrest of BJD workers who attacked BJP supporters at Baripada during Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s visit to Mayurbhanj recently.
District president of BJP Kandra Soren alleged that crime against women has increased in Odisha under the BJD government. Despite Mishra’s close links with prime accused Gobinda Sahu in Mamita murder case, the State government is yet to take any action against the Minister and instead shielding him, he claimed.
Baripada MLA Prakesh Soren said the State government is distributing smart health cards under Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana when people are deprived of basic healthcare due to shortage of doctors in the district. In Mayurbhanj, 345 doctor posts in the district headquarters hospital, sub-divisional hospitals, CHCs and PHCs are lying vacant since long. Besides, the CM in 2019 had assured revival of Mayurbhanj Ayurvedic College and Homoeopathic College at Baripada but nothing has been done in this regard so far, he claimed.
The district unit of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) supported the bandh called by BJP. On the day, a group of JMM workers hung placards around the neck of Biju Patnaik statue at Steel Golei in Baripada town protesting the attack on party members by BJD supporters during the CM programme. As many as seven JMM workers including a minor were arrested for this act. Mayurbhanj SP Rishikesh D Khilari said adequate security arrangements were made for the bandh. No untoward incident was reported during the strike.