Congress, BJD demand action against Odisha guv son for 'assaulting' Raj Bhavan official

Bhubaneswar: Opposition parties in Odisha, including the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress, have demanded action against Governor Raghubar Das's son following allegations that he and five others assaulted an assistant section officer at the Raj Bhavan in Puri.

Baikuntha Pradhan, an assistant section officer at the Raj Bhavan, on Friday claimed that he was physically assaulted by Das’s son Lalit Kumar and his associates while supervising President Droupadi Murmu’s visit on July 7.

During a protest outside Raj Bhavan here on Saturday, Congress's youth and student wing NSUI demanded that an FIR be filed against Kumar.

They criticised the delay in police action and vowed to continue protests until Kumar's arrest, although police later dispersed the demonstrators.

NSUI state president Yashir Nawaz said, "The Governor’s son, accompanied by friends and personal security, assaulted an official. Despite over six days passing, no FIR has been registered." Senior Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati also pressed for immediate action, denouncing what he perceived as political interference hindering Kumar's arrest.

Similarly, BJD's Pratap Keshari Deb condemned the incident, questioning police's inaction and urging Chief Minister Mohan Majhi to ensure justice.

"Pradhan may be a lower-level employee, but this incident was far from minor. The behaviour of the Governor’s son towards a government official is condemnable and unfortunate," Deb said.

"The Chief Minister, who is also the minister for Home and General Administration departments, has consistently emphasised justice for the poor and common people. However, questions are now being raised about the government's ability to deliver justice in this case, as no action has been taken," added the BJD leader.

Pradhan's wife Sayoj alleged that Kumar targeted her husband due to dissatisfaction with transportation arrangements. She expressed frustration over the lack of action despite her husband's complaint and demanded justice.

"On the night of July 7, when Pradhan was in his office, Kumar and his associates forcibly took him to their room and assaulted him," she told reporters on Friday.

When asked about the reason behind the incident, Sayoj said, "The Governor's son was upset because my husband did not arrange for a luxury vehicle to pick him up." In his complaint to the Governor’s principal secretary, Pradhan detailed severe physical assault, including threats to his life allegedly uttered by Kumar during the incident.

"They slapped me, blew punches on my face, kicked every part of my body and twisted my left ankle. Kumar kept on saying that if they murder me, nobody can save me," he said.

The Odisha Secretariat Service Association has appealed to the Chief Minister for intervention, but as of now, neither Kumar nor the Governor's office has issued a statement addressing the allegations.