Clashes outside Odisha Assembly: BJD MP Sasmit Patra alleges State Police has turned 'handmaidens' of government

New Delhi [India], March 26 (ANI): Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Sasmit Patra condemned the clashes outside the Odisha Vidhan Sabha on Wednesday, lashing out at the Odisha Police for becoming the State government's handmaidens.
Speaking to ANI, Patra said, "We strongly condemn it, and it shows how democracy is being murdered in Odisha. The Odisha Police has become the handmaiden of the Odisha government and the Odisha Vidhan Sabha and are stopping not only the Odisha BJD and Congress MLAs from entering the Odisha Vidhan Sabha but it is unprecedented to see that the Odisha Vidhan Sabha being manned right now by the Odisha Police against the same legislators who are members of the Odisha Vidhan Sabha."
Further, he stated it was shocking to see barricades put up outside the Odisha Vidhan Sabha termed it as an "extremely low act."
"In the Odisha Vidhan Sabha, right at the gate, barricades have been put up stopping the BJD MLAs and the Congress MLAs. This is shocking, and therefore, we strongly condemn it. This is extremely low as far as the parliamentary form of democracy is concerned in Odisha," Patra added.
He also lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and said that they were running away from discussions on the floor of the Odisha Vidhan Sabha.
"The BJP government in Odisha has been running away from discussions on the floor of the Odisha Vidhan Sabha...They want an opposition Mukt Odisha Vidhan Sabha, and that is the reason why the BJP government is failing miserably in governance in Odisha..." he said.
Meanwhile, Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati said that the BJP government was scared and hence kept suspending the MLAs.
"The BJP government is scared; that is why they keep suspending us. All those who have raped women are with BJP...They have suspended everyone...The protest will keep on taking place..." Bahinapati said speaking to ANI.
Earlier in the day, after a total of 14 Congress members were suspended, the party leaders protested in the House on the alleged atrocities against the MLAs and also alleged that their leaders were beaten up while being removed from the Assembly premises. (ANI)