Puri: Some of the women members of Milita Odisha Nisha Nibarana Abhiyan (MONNA) alleged that they were attacked by a few BJD activists at the Mission Shakti Convention held here Saturday.
They said they were trying to draw the attention of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik by shouting slogans regarding implementation of Odisha Prohibition Act, 1956. They also wanted to meet the CM.
Puri Superintendent of Police Sarthak Sarangi, Nimapara MLA Samir Ranjan Das and BJD member Sulata Deo and others tried to assure them that they would talk after the meeting.
During their protest, some of the BJD workers tried to prevent them from shouting slogans and took away the mike from them. The MONNA activists protested the incident and alleged that the BJD members had misbehaved with them and attacked them. This created a scene at the spot.
Alleged victim Aparna Nayak said, “We were protesting peacefully and demanding the implementation of Odisha Prohibition Act, 1956 when the BJD leaders told us to stop the slogans. We said that we are protesting peacefully, but some BJD members manhandled us and snatched away the mike.”
The women activists said that it was ironical that such kind of behaviour was meted out with the women on a women empowerment programme.
Sulata, however, said, “We told them not to disturb the programme and they can talk with them later but they had not heed.”