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The Leader of the Opposition in the Odisha state assembly and former Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik, on Friday wrote to Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai regarding detention of several Panchayat Raj representatives in the neighbouring state's Mahasamund district.
Patnaik said that the Panchayat Raj representatives including Sarpanches and Panchayat Samiti members of the Kirimira block in Odisha's Jharsuguda district were detained by Chhattisgarh police in Mahasamund. The former Odisha CM, through his letter, also highlighted the detention of former Odisha Minister Naba Das' son Bishal Das. Terming the incident as disturbing, Patnaik said "...Panchayat Raj representatives like sarpanchs and Panchayat Samiti members of the Kirimira block in the Jharsuguda district were detained by Chhattisgarh police in the Sareipali police station in the Mahasamund district," he wrote. The LoP mentioned that they were supposed to participate in a no-confidence motion this morning in the block premises at 10.30 am. "...They were supposed to participate in a no-confidence motion this morning in the block premises at 10:30 AM. They could not attend the same as they are detained from yesterday midnight along with Vishal Das, son of a former cabinet minister in Odisha," he further wrote. He requested the Chhattisgarh CM to look into the matter and get them released immediately. "I would request you to look into this and get them released immediately and also to ensure their safety and security while they travel to the Odisha border. Many of those detained are women PRI members," the letter reads. Earlier on Monday, January 6, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) staged a massive protest in Bhubaneswar led by party president Naveen Patnaik against the BJP government in Odisha over rising prices of essential commodities. BJD workers and leaders gathered at Lower PMG Square in Bhubaneswar to protest against the BJP government. "Today, Odisha is plagued by extremely high price rises and high inflation is happening and affecting the people of Odisha. Raising the demand of the people of Odisha, BJD is organising a massive protest today in Bhubaneswar led by our party president Naveen Patnaik," BJD MP Sasmit Patra Sasmit Patra had said. "The BJP government in Odisha has completely failed the people of the state. The price rise of commodities is at an all-time high. From potatoes to onions, rice to sugar, every specific commodity and vegetable in Odisha today is soaring sky-high. This is a fight not only of the BJD. This is a fight of 4.5 crore people of Odisha. CM Mohan Charan Majhi has no clue how to run a government. His entire ministry and cabinet is extremely incompetent..." she added. (ANI)
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