In a shameful incident, a senior party leader of the Biju Janta Dal (BJD), Yogendra Behera, on Monday asked a personal security officer (PSO) to tie, and later untie, his sandal straps during the Independence Day programme in city's Kendujhar district.
The Odisha minister, in a video posted by ANI, is seen asking the PSO to tie his sandal straps after he unfurls the national flag on the Independence day during an event in Odisha.
On being questioned about the incident, Behera said, "I am a VIP. I've hoisted the flag here; he (PSO) has done that (tied the sandal strap)."
Later, on being criticised over the incident, Behera said he had a knee problem and that is why the PSO had to tie his sandal straps, reported ANI.
Sajjan Sharma, Odisha BJP spokesperson, terming the incident as "shameful" said, "There is no distinction between government staff and personal staff in the Naveen Patnaik administration. The ministers think...Odisha is their fiefdom."
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