In a bizarre, yet humiliating verdict by a Kangaroo court in Odisha's Gudiapa village in Angul district, a ward member's husband was forced to play the gong and announce about the mistake that she has done. This punishment was given to him to avenge the woman's decision to cast the vote of her choice and not acting according to the whims and fancies of the kangaroo court. The incident happened during the panchayat polls that took place recently.
According to inside reports, ward member Mallika Sahoo did not vote for the person chosen by the villagers. Hence, her husband Dushmant Sahoo, was asked to repay for her mistake by paying up Rs 50,000 or playing the gong and announcing what his wife had done. He was also asked to announce, "Mu Ghanta Pituchhi kahikina Mo stree bhul karichhi (I’m playing the gong as my wife has committed a mistake by going against the wishes of villagers)”.
Some social workers took notice of the incident and informed the police. Subsequently, the police registered a case against 52 persons after finding prima facie evidence about the humiliating verdict. Meanwhile, petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan expressed his condemnation about the incident on Twitter.
କଙ୍ଗାରୁ କୋର୍ଟରେ ନିର୍ବାଚିତ ମହିଳା ୱାର୍ଡ ମେମ୍ବରଙ୍କ ସ୍ୱାମୀଙ୍କୁ ଗାଁ ସାରା ଘଣ୍ଟ ବଜାଇ କ୍ଷମା ମାଗିବା ଘଟଣା ଗଣମାଧ୍ୟମରେ ଖବର ଦେଖି ମୁଁ ମର୍ମାହତ । pic.twitter.com/9HbaMAWjx9
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 7, 2017ଓଡିଶାର ଅନୁଗୁଳ ଜିଲ୍ଲାର ଏକ ଗାଁରେ ଘଟିଛି ଏହି ଅମାନୁଷିକ ଘଟଣା ।
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 7, 2017ମହିଳା ୱାର୍ଡ ମେମ୍ବର ଗାଁର ତଥାକଥିତ ମୁଖିଆ ମାନଙ୍କ ଇଚ୍ଛା ମୁତାବକ ନାଏବ ସରପଂଚ ନିର୍ବାଚନରେ ଭୋଟ ନ ଦେବାରୁ ନିଆଁ ପାଣି ବାସନ୍ଦ କରାଗଲା ।
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 7, 201750 ହଜାର ଟଙ୍କାର ଅର୍ଥ ଦଣ୍ଡ ଦେବାକୁ ଅକ୍ଷମତା କାରଣରୁ ଅପମାନଜନକ ଭାବେ ଗାଁ ଦାଣ୍ଡରେ କ୍ଷମା ମାଗିବାକୁ ବାଧ୍ୟ କରାଗଲା ।
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 7, 201750 ହଜାର ଟଙ୍କାର ଅର୍ଥ ଦଣ୍ଡ ଦେବାକୁ ଅକ୍ଷମତା କାରଣରୁ ଅପମାନଜନକ ଭାବେ ଗାଁ ଦାଣ୍ଡରେ କ୍ଷମା ମାଗିବାକୁ ବାଧ୍ୟ କରାଗଲା ।
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 7, 2017ସଭ୍ୟ ସମାଜରେ କେମିତି ଗ୍ରହଣୀୟ ହେବ ? ଏତେ ସବୁ ଘଟଣା ପରେ ମଧ୍ୟ ଦୋଷୀ ମାନଙ୍କୁ ଗିରଫ କରା ନ ଯିବା ଦୁଃଖଦାୟକ ।
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 7, 2017ସମ୍ମାନର ସହିତ ବଂଚିବା ସମସ୍ତଙ୍କର ସାମ୍ବିଧାନିକ ଅଧିକାର ।
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 7, 2017ଏହାକୁ ଛଡେଇ ନିଆଯିବା ବେଳେ ଆଇନର ଶାସନ ଦୋଷୀଙ୍କ ବିରୁଦ୍ଧରେ ଦୃଢ କାର୍ଯାନୁଷ୍ଠାନ ନେବା ପାଇଁ କାହିଁକି ତତ୍ପରତା ଦେଖାଉ ନାହିଁ I
— Dharmendra Pradhan (@dpradhanbjp) July 7, 2017Dharmendra Pradhan said that these incidents do not happen in civilised societies and are highly condemnable. These cannot be accepted. All the people who have deprived this man of his dignity will pay for it.