Odisha: Four BJP Yuva Morcha activists arrested for vandalising residence of CM’s aide, say police
The attackers accused V Karthikeyan Pandian, who is the chief minister’s private secretary, of working for the ruling Biju Janata Dal.
The police in Odisha on Saturday arrested four members of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha, the youth wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party, for allegedly vandalising the official residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s (pictured above) Private Secretary V Karthikeyan Pandian in Bhubaneswar, The New Indian Express reported.
“The police have arrested some BJYM activists and efforts are on to arrest others involved in the incident,” said Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissioner YB Khurania.
The BJYM activists reportedly arrived at Pandian’s residence, shouting slogans and accusing him of working for the ruling Biju Janata Dal. Then they barged in, damaged flower pots and several two-wheelers that were parked inside. The BJP youth activists also reportedly threw cow dung on the wall and the main gate of the Indian Administrative Service officer’s residence. Pandian’s wife Sujata Karthikeyan, who is also an IAS officer, and their two children were present at the house when the attack took place.
Biju Janata Dal spokesperson and MP Pratap Deb pointed out that the attack “exposed the real mindset of BJP leaders”, PTI reported. “Targeting an officer in this manner should be strongly dealt with,” he said.
BJP state unit Vice President Sameer Mohanty, however, defended the actions of his fellow party members, and said that a government official should not be active in political matters and work for the ruling party. Pandian, he alleged, was acting as the “super CM” and had ruined the state.