Posco clash: Government shielding contractor

BHUBANESWAR: After being in the firing line throughout the day on Monday, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik told the Assembly that he has directed the police to arrest all the accused persons, including contractor Bapi Sarkel, following the Posco clash that claimed one life. He was responding to the  allegation that the Government was not serious about arresting Sarkel.“I have directed the police to apprehend all the accused persons involved in the case, including Bapi Sarkel,” Naveen said. The issue of Sarkel engaging  foreign security guards is also being looked into, he told the House.Earlier, members cutting across party lines, demanded Sarkel’s arrest. Raising the issue during zero hour, Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh said the Government took swift action by transferring the IDCO CMD without apprehending the main culprit. This is Government’s old habit and it is yet to initiate any action against the SP, Jagatsinghpur, for his failure to control the situation.Singh accused the Government of trying to protect Sarkel, against whom two cases have been filed. On the other hand, he said, Jayant Biswal, an anti-Posco leader, has been arrested. He wanted to know why the police had deployed two PSOs for Sarkel. “Who had authorised it and had he sought police protection,” he asked.Santosh Singh Saluja (Cong) said the Government merely transferred the IDCO CMD but is not taking any action against the District Collector and the SP. Who is Sarkel and under whose protection, Saluja asked, demanding action against those protecting the contractor.BJP Legislature Party leader K V Singhdeo was also critical of the Government for its failure to arrest Sarkel. Alleging that Sarkel is playing with the Government, Singhdeo referred to newspaper reports which said nothing came out from the raid on his office. When he is giving statements to TV channels, how the police failed to trace and arrest him, he asked.The BJP leader alleged that Sarkel had engaged security guards from Thailand and Singapore, who carried firearms. Was this cleared by the Home Ministry, he asked. He demanded a statement from the Chief Minister.BJD dissident and former minister Damodar Rout demanded a high-level probe into the ‘nefarious’ activities of Sarkel. Rout wanted to know under whose protection he became so powerful in the area. Alleging that criminal activities increased ever since the arrival of Sarkel in Paradip, Bisnu Das (BJD) said police and district administration were aware of his activities. Demanding a Crime Branch inquiry, Das said Rout had inaugurated his office at Paradip.