Baripada, Jan 23 (PTI) All state government employees including Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) officers working in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district on Sunday resolved to wear black badges demanding action against Union Minister Bishweswar Tudu for allegedly assaulting two officers recently.
The officials will launch a black badge protest from Monday till Wednesday to protest the alleged attack by the Union Minister of State for Tribal Affairs and Jal Shakti on the deputy director of planning board Ashwini Mallik and assistant director Debashis Mohapatra. Both of them were injured and Mohapatra has fractured his hand in the alleged attack by the minister on January 21.
Both the officers were admitted to PRM Medical College and Hospital in Baripada.
OAS association’s Mayurbhanj district president R N Mohanty and other associations in separate resolutions have decided to launch black badge agitation against the minister, an official said.
Tudu, however, rejected all the allegations and clarified that he has not assaulted any officer though he invited them for a review meeting. “I could not hold the meeting as I was busy in panchyat poll works. The allegations are being made to malign me and my party ahead of the panchayat elctions,” the Union Minister said.
Meanwhile, the ruling BJD’s Mayurbhanj district president and Odisha Minister Sudam Marandi demanded immediate dismissal of Tudu from the Union Council of Ministers for his “unruly” behaviour towards the officers.
“We condemn the incident. Two government officials were called by the Union Minister and assaulted by him resulting in a fractured arm and other injuries requiring hospitalisation. It’s unfortunate that a Union Minister indulged in hooliganism,” said Krushna Nanda Mohanty, BJD’s Baripada town president.
The BJD in a statement said that the peace loving people of Mayurbhanj are shocked by Tudu’s action. How can Prime Minister Narendra Modi make him the MP of Mayurbhanj. After Tudu became Minister, he has been casting aspersions on state government officials. He should be dismissed and arrested, the party said. PTI COR AAM RG RG
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Source: The Print
