BJD Demands Action against Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for Instigating TV Reporter to Beat Agriculture Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain

Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal has demanded suitable action against Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for instigating a news reporter to beat state Agriculture Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain.

In a letter to the Chief Electoral Officer, the BJD has said that “We have come across a video from social media wherein Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is seen encouraging someone to beat “Raja Swain” during his campaign on 29th November, 2022 in Padampur by-polls obviously referring to Odisha’s Minister of Agriculture & FE Ranendra Pratap Swain. Swain is also popularly known by his nickname as ‘Raja Swain”. “Ranendra Pratap Swain is campaigning for our party candidate presently in Padampur. There were some people near him at that time who informed that he told this to Satarupa Samantaray who appears to be a reporter with Argus TV’, the letter read.

“We have enclosed a copy of the said video in a Pen Drive along with this petition. We demand suitable action be taken against Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, for encouraging what appears to be Ms. Satarupa Samantaray, an Argus TV reporter to beat Minister of Agriculture & FE and ARD Ranendra Pratap Swain, who is popularly known as “Raja Swain” during the Padampur by-poll campaigning on 29th November, 2022”, the letter added.