Odisha MLA Pratap Jena has been named as an accused in connection with the murder of BJP leader Kulamani Baral. Pratap Jena is the MLA from Odisha’s Mahanga Constituency. He is also a Cabinet Minister with the Odisha state government holding the Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, Law, Housing and Urban Development portfolios.
On Saturday, Kulamani Baral and his aide Dibyasingh Baral were attacked in the Kurujanga village under Mahanga police station limits in Cuttack district.
They were rushed to the Mahanga Community Health Centre where doctors declared Kulamani Baral as having arrived dead. Subsequently, Dibyasingh Baral was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital, where he breathed his last on Sunday while undergoing treatment. Kulamani Baral was the ex-chairman of Mahanga Block and Observer, Salepur Assembly Constituency.
Ramakanta Baral, son of the deceased BJP leader, lodged an FIR against 13 persons in the Mahanga police station, where he has named Pratap Jena as an accused. He has alleged that the attack was carried out on the behest of the minister, as Kulamani Baral and Dibyasingh Baral had raised their voices against corruption.
At a press conference, BJP state general secretary Golak Mohapatra drew parallels between the situations in West Bengal and Odisha. He said that BJP leaders are being murdered in West Bengal for raising their voices against the Mamata Banerjee government, and in Odisha the same is being done to BJP leaders for raising their voices against the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed his shock at the incident and stated that he expected “strict action from the administration”.
However, Pratap Jena has refuted these allegations and has said that there is no place for violence in the land of Lord Jagannath.
On Monday January 4, the BJP held protests across Cuttack, demanding the immediate arrest of the assailants. BJP leaders threatened to intensify their agitation if the culprits weren’t arrested within 48 hours.
If the culprits along with the perpetrators are not arrested in 48 hours, the Government will face the tune in every nook & corner of the State. The Ministers along with the @CMO_Odisha will not be allowed to attend any public function.
— Prithiviraj Harichandan (@PrithivirajBJP) January 3, 2021