Baijayant Panda's Pakistan analogy kicks up controversy

BJP national vice-president and former Kendrapara MP Baijayant 'Jay' Panda has come under criticism following his comparison of Odisha with Pakistan in a tweet. The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) came down heavily on Panda for his remark. Panda's tweet came after a senior journalist with a private organisation was allegedly picked by Odisha Police from near his residence here on Thursday.

Bhubaneswar:BJP national vice-president Baijayant ‘Jay’ Panda has kicked up a controversy after he compared Odisha with Pakistan in a tweet. Panda’s tweet was in response to whisking of a senior journalist with a private news channel by Odisha police.

Drawing parallels with assault on a journalist of a private national news channel in Maharashtra, Panda termed the situation in the two states as "real fascism".

In a tweet, Panda said, "Shameful how Maharashtra & Odisha police simply "pick up" & assault journalists & do custodial interrogation, without following the basic process of law, like in Pakistan. This is real fascism...”

The tweet immediately created a furore and top BJD leaders condemned Baijayant.

BJD Rajya Sabha MP Amar Patnaik tweeted, “We all know the law. Freedom of expression comes with restrictions & certainly doesn’t cover fake news, tarnishing the image of people & much less a tribal woman MP, in most reprehensible form, a fake sex video! All know consequences if this happened in Pakistan. Let’s not fool people!”

BJD Rajya Sabha MP Amar Patnaik

Another BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra said, “Quite unfortunate that Shri Jay Panda feels Odisha has become Pakistan, the same state that sent him to both houses of the Parliament. The same people of Kendrapara who ensured it. The same Tulasi Khetra. This is an insult to every Odia and to the Odia culture as well.”

BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra

BJD's Kendrapara MP Anubhav Mohanty, who had defeated Panda in 2019 General elections, slammed the BJP leader for his 'illogical' comparison.

"Let me remind you @PandaJay that before your defeat in 2019, you were a part of this soil which you are comparing with #Pakistan now. Mr.BP, Is #Kendrapara in #Pakistan? If Yes then Quit #Odisha right now & forever," tweeted Mohanty.

BJD MLA and party organisation secretary Pranab Prakash Das tweeted, "Nothing more shameful than comparing your own state with Pakistan. Colossal disrespect for the Odia culture and the people of Odisha. Hope better sense prevails and this of insult for the people of Kendrapara, the entire state stops here!"

Following the controversy, the office of Jay Panda clarified that the ruling BJD is trying to push false propaganda.

BJD MLA and party organisation secretary Pranab Prakash Das

"Jay Panda has not compared Odisha with Pakistan, rather he said that both Maharashtra and Odisha police are behaving like the police in Pakistan. BJD is trying to twist the meaning," tweeted the office of Jay Panda.

(With Inputs from IANS)