Bhubaneswar, May 1: A BJP delegation led by Union minister of state for petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan today called on Union home minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi and appraised him on the apparently deteriorating law and order situation in Odisha.
The delegation also submitted a memorandum to Rajnath seeking his intervention to protect Parbati Sasmal of Jagatsinghpur district. Parbati had earned the wrath of the BJD workers in her neighbourhood for submitting a petition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his road show at Bhubaneswar.
Modi had taken part in the road show when he was in Odisha to attend the BJPs two-day national executive meeting here on April 15 and April 16.
The others who accompanied Pradhan today included BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra, state general secretary Prthiviraj Harichandan and party leader Lekhasri Samantsinghar.
After the meeting today, in a series of tweets, Pradhan spoke of the plight of Parbati.
"Odisha witnessed an unprecedented political low when this poor lady was beaten by ruling BJD goons for voting for BJP in Panchayat Elections," he tweeted through the handle @dpradhanbjp.
"She was attacked again for daring to submit a petition to Hon'ble PM during his visit to the state on 15th April to attend the BJP NE Meet," he said. "On the one hand BJD Govt is responsible to compromise the safety of a lady & on the oth BJD party has encroached upon her democratic rights."
Coming down heavily on the BJD government in Odisha for its failure to provide security to a woman, he tweeted: "State Sponsored Violence to crush the political rise of BJP in Odisha is a no lesser concern than the Collapsed Administration & Governance."
"Determination of People of Odisha to oust the corrupt, inefficient & anti-people BJD Govt will be further strengthened by these unruly acts," he added.
Targeting chief minister Naveen Patnaik, he said: "For the fear of loosing his seat @Naveen_Odisha has forgotten his constitutional duty to protect people regardless of their political views."
Parbati who belongs to Kalikuda, which lies in Erasama police station limits, manages her family by rearing goats.
She had been subjected to mental torture and was also physically assaulted after she had cast her vote in favour of the BJP. A group of villagers, including the sarpanch of Japa panchayat, Tapan Gochchayat, had attacked Parbati and five others for grazing goats in a disputed cashew forest.
Furious BJD activists had also harassed her after she had handed over a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi describing how she had been harassed and tortured for supporting the BJP.
On Twitter today, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra, through his handle @sambitswaraj, said: "BJP team headed by Sh @dpradhanbjp ji & other leaders from Odisha met HM Sh Rajnath ji to apprise Him about the atrocities of Naveen govt!"
BJP general secretary Prithiviraj Harichandan said: "Though the case was a much-discussed one in the state, the DGP said he was not aware of the case. We seek the union home minister's intervention to give her justice and protect her dignity."
Earlier, a team led by Lekhasri Samantsinghar had met the Odisha DGP on the issue and told him how an FIR had been lodged but the police was not taking any action against the accused.
