Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], October 5 (ANI): Former Odisha Chief Minister and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo Naveen Patnaik on Sunday launched a scathing attack on the state government over the alleged deterioration of law and order, questioning whether "goondaraj" is prevailing in the state following an attack on former Dharmasala MLA Pranab Balabantaray.
Condemning the incident, Patnaik alleged that deadly attacks on public representatives are taking place in broad daylight while the administration and police remain silent spectators.
In a post on X, Patnaik wrote, "Deadly attacks are being carried out on public representatives in broad daylight, the police are silent, the government is silent—is goondaraj reigning in Odisha? The attack on Biju Janata Dal leader and former Dharmasala MLA Pranab Balabantaray in Madhupurgad under Jenapur police station is utterly condemnable."
Patnaik further questioned the audacity of the perpetrators, alleging that the safety of both elected representatives and ordinary citizens is currently in jeopardy.
"Attacks are taking place as if to kill public representatives in the presence of police. Who is giving this audacity to criminals? Is the rule of law or the rule of goons prevailing in Odisha? In this government, public representatives are insecure, and the safety of ordinary people is in jeopardy," the former Chief Minister said.
The BJD chief highlighted that such incidents are becoming recurrent not just in Dharmasala, but across the entire state.
"Such incidents are happening repeatedly in Dharmasala, across the entire Odisha. Yet, the government is not taking any firm action—Odisha residents are not witnessing it. What does the government want: for peaceful Odisha to turn turbulent? Why is the government condoning such criminal acts? Why are exemplary actions not being taken?" he asked.
Issuing a strong political warning, Patnaik asserted that the people of the state are taking note of the situation and will respond accordingly.
"Odisha residents are watching everything, keeping an account of it all. They will give a fitting response to such anarchy, such misrule," Patnaik added.
ଖୋଲା ଦିବାଲୋକରେ ଜନପ୍ରତିନିଧିଙ୍କ ଉପରେ ମରଣାନ୍ତକ ଆକ୍ରମଣ ହେଉଛି, ପୋଲିସ୍ ଚୁପ୍, ସରକାର ଚୁପ୍, କ'ଣ ଓଡ଼ିଶାରେ ଗୁଣ୍ଡାରାଜ୍ ଚାଲିଛି? ବିଜୁ ଜନତା ଦଳର ନେତା ତଥା ଧର୍ମଶାଳାର ପୂର୍ବତନ ବିଧାୟକ ପ୍ରଣବ ବଳବନ୍ତରାୟଙ୍କ ଉପରେ ଜେନାପୁର ଥାନା ଅନ୍ତର୍ଗତ ମଧୁପୁରଗଡ଼ଠାରେ ହୋଇଥିବା ଆକ୍ରମଣ ଅତ୍ୟନ୍ତ ନିନ୍ଦନୀୟ। ପୋଲିସ୍ ଉପସ୍ଥିତିରେ ଜନପ୍ରତିନିଧିଙ୍କୁ ଜୀବନରୁ ମାରିଦେବା ପରି ଆକ୍ରମଣ ହେଉଛି। ଅପରାଧୀଙ୍କୁ ଏ ସାହସ କିଏ ଦେଉଛି? ଓଡ଼ିଶାରେ ଶାସନ ଆଇନର ଚାଲିଛି ନା' ଗୁଣ୍ଡାଙ୍କର? ଏ ସରକାରରେ ଜନପ୍ରତିନିଧି ଅସୁରକ୍ଷିତ, ସାଧାରଣ ଲୋକଙ୍କ ସୁରକ୍ଷା ବିପର୍ଯ୍ୟସ୍ତ। ଏପରି ଘଟଣା ଧର୍ମଶାଳାରେ, ସାରା ଓଡ଼ିଶାରେ ବାରମ୍ବାର ଘଟୁଛି। ହେଲେ ସରକାର କୌଣସି ଦୃଢ଼ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟାନୁଷ୍ଠାନ ନେବା ଓଡ଼ିଶାବାସୀ ଦେଖିବାକୁ ପାଉନାହାନ୍ତି। ସରକାର କ'ଣ ଚାହୁଁଛନ୍ତି, ଶାନ୍ତିପ୍ରିୟ ଓଡ଼ିଶା ଅଶାନ୍ତ ହୋଇପଡୁ? କାହିଁକି ଏପରି ଅପରାଧିକ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟକୁ ସରକାର ପ୍ରଶ୍ରୟ ଦେଉଛନ୍ତି? କାହିଁକି ଦୃଷ୍ଟାନ୍ତମୂଳକ କାର୍ଯ୍ୟାନୁଷ୍ଠାନ ଗ୍ରହଣ କରାଯାଉ ନାହିଁ? ଓଡ଼ିଶାବାସୀ ସବୁ ଦେଖୁଛନ୍ତି, ସବୁର ହିସାବ ରଖୁଛନ୍ତି। ସେମାନେ ଏପରି ଅରାଜକତାର, ଏପରି କୁଶାସନର ଉଚିତ ଜବାବ ଦେବେ। #Odisha
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) October 4, 2026
Former Dharmasala legislator and Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Pranab Kumar Balabantray on Sunday lodged a police complaint alleging that he and his party workers were attacked during a public outreach march in Jajpur district.
Submitting a written complaint to the Jajpur Superintendent of Police, Balabantray alleged that the incident was politically motivated and claimed local MLA Himanshu Sekhar Sahu was the mastermind behind the attack.
According to the complaint, the incident occurred around 3:00 PM in the Gadmadhupur area of Madhupurgarh Gram Panchayat, under the jurisdiction of the Jenapur police station, during the party’s 'Jan Sampark Padyatra'. A group of unidentified miscreants pelted bricks and stones at the convoy, severely damaging three vehicles, including Balabantray's car.
Meanwhile, BJD leaders and workers staged a demonstration outside the Panikoili SP office, protesting the alleged attack on Balabantray and demanding action against the accused. (ANI)
