Senior BJP leader and Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi alleged that she was detained for two hours by a group of people in Laxmisagar area here under her Lok Sabha segment.
Expressing anguish over the incident, Ms Sarangi wrote a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday, raising questions on alleged indifference towards her security during visits.
“I had gone to ward no-43 on the invitation of residents to hold a meeting when some anti-social elements stopped my car and prevented me from proceeding to the meeting spot on Monday evening. I sat in the car waiting for the police to control the situation for two hours,” Ms Sarangi wrote in her letter.
Stating that she was detained when more than 200 people were waiting in her office for public grievance, the MP alleged, “This speaks of malicious intent on the part of the state government”. She asked how the state government would compensate for her lost time.
“Most humbly, I hereby ask whether CM’s carcade can be stopped even for 5 minutes on the road. I think everybody’s time is equally valuable. I will expect an answer to my query above,” said the letter.
Posting the letter on X, Ms Sarangi, a former IAS officer-turned- politician said, “This is the law & order status here. SHAME!”
A minor scuffle broke out between the BJP MP’s supporters and those protesting her visit. However, the police rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. The MP was later escorted by police to the meeting venue where she held the meeting with the residents.
BJP spokesperson Dilip Mallick in a statement claimed that the woman MP was forcibly detained and it is a shameful incident for the state government. BJD is yet to react to the BJP MPs allegation.
