Post News Network
Bargarh, June 24: Union textiles minister Santosh Gangwar and Union minister of state for food processing industries Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti had a tough time Friday during their visit here as people, who are alleged to be BJD supporters, pelted stones at their convoy and showed black flags.
The ministers arrived in the district to attend the BJP’s Vikas Parv Rally, a police official said. Three vehicles, including the one carrying Gangwar, were damaged in the incident, he said.
The BJP threatened it would protest the visit of state ministers everywhere in the state. “They (BJD workers) have not only misbehaved with a guest of the state government, but have also shown disrespect to a man who represents these sections,” BJP general secretary Bhurgu Buxipatra said here.
“The state government is in a tizzy as the BJP government has done in just two years what it could not do in the last 16 years,” said BJP state president Basant Panda.
Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra also condemned the incident and said it reflected the failure of the state government to provide security to a Union minister.
However, BJD spokesperson Amar Prasad Satpathy cited the Dillip Ray episode to highlight the public discontent over Modi government’s performance. “If you make announcements without implementing them, dissatisfaction would be reflected,” he said.