Bhubaneswar: Swachh Sathi Levels Serious Allegations Against BMC Additional Commissioner
Key Points
Swachh Sathi alleges verbal abuse and job threats by BMC Additional Commissioner.
BJP leader’s intervention reportedly triggered confrontation with the officer.
Bhubaneswar, July 1: A female sanitation volunteer (Swachh Sathi) on Tuesday brought serious allegations against Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo, accusing him of verbal abuse, intimidation, and coercion.
Rebati Rout, Swachha Saathi from Ward 34 of BMC, claimed that Sahoo not only hurled insults at her but also falsely accused her of bribery and threatened to terminate her job.
Speaking to media persons, Rebati said that she was pressured to work under the influence of a local corporator’s husband and was forced into political mediation. When she resisted, Sahoo openly threatened to terminate from her current job.
Rebati further said that she had informed senior BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan about the harassment. Following this, Pradhan reportedly called Sahoo, which led to a heated exchange with the latter. The officer allegedly responded rudely, escalating tensions that eventually culminated in the recent assault incident at the BMC office.
While the Swachh Sathi’s allegations have intensified the political storm, Sahoo has denied all charges, calling them baseless and an attempt to deflect attention from the assault he suffered during a public grievance hearing.
On Monday, BMC Additional Commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo was allegedly physically assaulted inside his office during a public grievance hearing. The attack, allegedly carried out by BJP workers, has triggered political uproar and swift administrative action.
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✨Within 24 hours, police arrested four individuals in connection with the assault. The matter is now under police investigation, and both parties have filed complaints.
The BJP state unit President, Manmohan Samal suspended five party members from primary membership. The suspended individuals include Corporator Aparup Narayan Raut, Rashmi Ranjan Mohapatra, Debashis Pradhan, Sachikant Swain, and Sanjeev Mishra.
BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan condemned the violence, calling it unfortunate, while the BJD held a press conference demanding strict action beyond arrests.
Meanwhile, the OAS Officers’ Association called on Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, who assured the officials that strict action would be taken against those found guilty.
The incident has reignited concerns over bureaucratic conduct and political interference, with calls for better protection of public servants and accountability across party lines.
It has been alleged that some bureaucrats still seem to favour the BJD even though the state government has changed. Allegations continue to surface that many officials are not treating the public and elected representatives with proper respect. Despite Chief Minister Mohan Majhi issuing a stern warning during a recent OAS conference, it appears that some officers have not taken it seriously, political analysts said.