BJP MP Aparajita Sarangi’s office in Bhubaneswar sealed over 'violation' of COVID guidelines

BHUBANESWAR: The Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday sealed the office of BJP national spokesperson and MP Aparajita Sarangi at Palaspalli here, a day after the Odisha government wrote to the Centre alleging violation of COVID-19 guidelines by her.

The office was sealed by a team led by BMC Zonal Deputy Commissioner (South-West) Rabinarayan Jethy for 15 days.

"Action has been taken in view of the violation of COVID norms. The office will be sanitised before its reopening after 15 days," Jethy said.

The move comes a day after Minister of State (Home) Dibya Shankar Mishra wrote a letter to Union Minister of State (Home) Nityanand Rai alleging violation of COVID-19 guidelines by the Bhubaneswar MP during her birthday celebrations in the city on October 8.

A video of the event showed Sarangi surrounded by a large number of women who were neither wearing masks nor maintaining social distancing.

After inquiry it was found that the place where people attended the function was her office at Palaspalli, Jethy said.

The ZDC who issued an order to this effect sought the names and addresses of those present in the function for COVID tests.

"In case any of the participants are found to be positive, appropriate medical intervention like home isolation or sending to COVID care centre or dedicated COVID hospital will be followed," he said.

Sarangi, meanwhile, has termed the action as 'vindictive.’ She is slated to hold a press conference shortly.

Earlier on Friday, she had questioned why the state government was silent on the presence of Minister of State for School and Mass Education Samir Dash and BJD legislator Uma Samantray, both of whom had tested COVID-19 positive, at the cremation of late Pradeep Maharathy at Swargadwar in Puri recently.

"There cannot be two standards for two different persons," she had said in reaction to the minister's complaint against her.

Interestingly, after she raised the issue, BJD MLA Samantray on Saturday issued a video message in which he apologised for attending the funeral of Maharathy in violation of COVID guidelines. “It was an emotional reaction but I am ready to accept any action as per law. No one is above law and I will abide by the rule of law,” he said in the message.