Union minister Tudu, BJP delegation detained, denied entry into violence-hit Sambalpur city

by PTI
Sambalpur: Union minister Bisheshwar Tudu and a high-powered BJP delegation comprising several party MPs and MLAs were on Tuesday detained after they were stopped from entering violence-hit Sambalpur city.
The team members were stopped at Sripura Chowk on Jharsuguda-Sambalpur road and were not allowed to proceed further.
Later, he was taken to the nearby Thelakoli police station and detained.
Sambalpur Additional Superintendent of Police Tapan Kumar Mohanty said: “The BJP delegation was denied entry into the city as they were not complying with the provision under Section 144 of the CrPC. They were not allowed to enter the city at such a time.” Permission cannot be given when curfew is in force.” Strength.”
The team included Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Tribal Affairs Bisheshwar Tudu, MPs Jual Oram (Sundergarh) and Suresh Pujari (Bargarh), MLAs Nouri Nayak, Shankar Oram and Kusum Tete, State BJP presidents Manmohan Samal and Sameer Mohanty.
“I strongly condemn the Odisha government for blocking the visit of a Union Minister to Sambalpur, where a tribal youth was killed during the violence. It is my duty to meet the family members of the dead tribal youths.” However, the police stopped me midway.
Stating that he would take up the issue with the central government, Tudu said, “It is unfortunate that the Sambalpur district administration stopped me and my colleagues from entering the city.
They (the administration) were informed in advance about our visit.” Sundergarh MP Jual Oram said: “It is unfortunate that the police stopped the delegation of BJP MPs and MLAs. We have been denied entry into the city while rioters are roaming freely.” Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari also came down heavily on the state government.
“They stopped us for fear of being exposed for police incompetence. The police have failed to arrest the killers of a tribal youth during the violence. The district collector of Sambalpur is working beyond his power.” Earlier, Pujari had alleged that he was not even allowed to step out of his residence in Sakhipada.
Pujari said, “I will raise this matter in Parliament.”
BJP Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal, who is also a member of the delegation, alleged that “the CM is scared of BJP leaders as they may expose inefficiencies in handling the large-scale violence in Sambalpur.”