BHUBANESWAR: A complaint was lodged on Sunday against Bhubaneswar mayor and senior BJD leader Sulochana Das by Anchalika Surakhya Mancha, a local social outfit, accusing him of making statements allegedly supportive of illegal immigrants which, according to them, could jeopardise the city’s security and encourage criminal activities. Jagannath Pradhan, president of the outfit, filed the complaint with the Capital police and demanded the immediate arrest of the mayor. The group alleged that Das’s remarks had emboldened illegal immigrants in the city. “She has extended patronage to these people by referring to Bangladeshi immigrants as ‘brothers’ and ‘family,’ which is a grave offence,” Pradhan told media persons. “Such comments encourage them to engage in unlawful activities. This isn’t the first instance — she has made similar statements on several occasions,” he added. Pradhan claimed the mayor had issued threats to Hindu community and the organisation’s activists. “We’re receiving reports of intimidation. We urge the authorities to take stringent legal action against her for acting against the national interest,” he demanded. The controversy erupted after mayor Das’s recent comments concerning Bangladeshi residents stirred public outrage. The issue triggered a protest on Thursday at the Ward 14 office in Niladri Vihar, where irate locals demonstrated with black flags, denouncing her remarks as unacceptable. Protests continued on Friday when Das arrived to inaugurate a new office for Ward No. 39 in Nayapalli. Locals gathered in large numbers, waving black flags and placards to voice their dissent against her. The demonstrators raised serious questions over alleged irregularities in the issuance of government identity documents. “When many legitimate residents of Bhubaneswar still struggle to obtain voter IDs and ration cards, how were Bangladeshi nationals provided with these documents under the previous BJD-led administration?” the protestors asked. “We firmly oppose the Mayor’s apparent affection for Bangladeshi immigrants,” they declared. Mayor Sulochana Das had not responded to the allegations till this report was filed.
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