Odisha's Leader of Opposition Jainarayan Mishra on Wednesday courted controversy by allegedly pushing a woman police officer during a BJP protest in Sambalpur.
Bhubaneswar: A case of allegedly pushing a woman policeman by a BJP leader has come to light in Odisha. Leader of Opposition Jainarayan Mishra on Wednesday courted controversy by allegedly pushing a woman police officer during a BJP protest in Sambalpur.
Mishra, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Sambalpur, however, rejected the allegation. On the contrary, he accused Anita Pradhan, in-charge of Dhanupali police station, of manhandling her. Both have filed a police complaint against each other.
BJD MP and Ollywood actor Anubhav Mohanty was “shocked” after seeing the video of the incident. “I have always stood for equality and this undoubtedly doesn’t define equality at all,” he tweeted.
Watch the video here:
Shocked & anguished after seeing this video! A senior leader of Odisha, Shri. Jayanarayan Mishra, physically assaulting & threatening an on-duty Police Officer! I have always stood for equality and this undoubtedly doesn’t define equality at all. Shame!!!@JPNadda pic.twitter.com/07uX6o6Jqt
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— Anubhav Mohanty (@AnubhavMohanty_) February 15, 2023
The incident took place during a BJP protest in front of the District Collector’s office in Sambalpur. The party is conducting a state-wide agitation over the ‘deteriorating’ law and order situation, under which the protest was organized. Pradhan claimed that he and Mishra had a face-off when BJP workers were trying to enter the campus, after which Mishra asked who he was.
Pradhan said, “When I revealed my identity, he accused me of taking bribe and called me a dacoit. When I asked why he was making such allegations, he pushed me.” However, Mishra rejected the allegation, saying that he had come forward after hearing that the police were ‘harassing’ women activists.
He said, “But the police officer (principal) told me that I am speaking a lot against the police and pushed me. But I did not push him. Since, allegations have been leveled against the police, they hatched a conspiracy… I don’t even know them.”
