By Sunil Jena, Editor-in-Chief | The Politics Odia
Bhubaneswar: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has criticised the Odisha government following violent clashes between two groups in Cuttack during Durga Visarjan. Mamata directly targeted the state administration, alleging that the BJP orchestrated communal violence in Cuttack.
Mamata stated, “Cuttack is burning today. The Bajrang Dal and BJP are directly responsible.” She also described the BJP government as arrogant and incapable of maintaining law and order.
However, Odisha’s Law Minister Prithviraj Harichandan strongly condemned Mamata’s remarks, calling them misplaced and misleading. The minister asserted that the situation in Cuttack was handled efficiently and that the city’s environment is now calm.
Harichandan emphasised that Mamata should first understand her own state’s law and order challenges before commenting on others, pointing out the irony of her criticising Odisha while West Bengal itself struggles with law enforcement. He stressed that the Odisha government acted swiftly and appropriately to manage the incident, ensuring peace and stability in Cuttack.
The statement underscores the growing political tension between Odisha and West Bengal leadership, with both sides using the Cuttack violence as a platform to question each other’s governance capabilities.
