Gajapati: The role of Former chairperson of Special Development Council (SDC) in Gajapati district, Antarjyami Gamango, during the 2008 communal riots in Odisha is likely to create trouble for his wife Purnabasi Nayak, who is the present BJD candidate for Mohana assembly seat.
Tribal and minority leaders in Mohana assembly constituency took to streets on Saturday against Gamango and his wife alleging him of spearheading the riots in Gajapati. They also burnt Gamango’s effigy in protest.
Reportedly, Gamango had been the ST Cell President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) when the riots broke out in Kandhamal after the killing of VHP leader Laxmanananda Saraswati.
While the riots had devastating affect with attack on minorities across Odisha, Gamango has been accused of murdering a pastor in Mukundapur village under Rayagada block of Gajapati District and a case in this regard had also been filed at the local police station.
It was when he was denied a ticket by the BJP during 2014 elections, he joined BJD and later was appointed as the chairperson of Special Development Council (SDC) in Gajapati district. He resigned on March 27 after his wife Purnabasi Nayak got a ticket as BJD’s nominee for Mohana assembly seat.
