Bhubaneswar, Oct 10 (IANS): The Odisha government on Friday drew the Centre's attention to the alleged violation of Covid-19 guidelines by Bhubaneswar MP and BJP national spokesperson Aparajita Sarangi during her birthday celebrations on Thursday.

In a letter addressed to Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai, Odisha's Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra said that Sarangi's birthday celebration video, attached with the letter, clearly shows her surrounded by hundreds of women who are neither wearing masks nor maintaining social distancing norms.

They were also seen singing and dancing at the programme in utter disregard to Covid guidelines issued under the National Disaster Management Act, he added.

"I would not have brought this to your notice, had this been the first occasion where the honourable MP has blatantly violated Covid guidelines. In addition to repeated advisories, warnings and filing of at least three cases against honourable MP for violation of Covid guidelines, there is no improvement in her behaviour," Mishra said.

He said such irresponsible behaviour on the part of a people's representative will demotivate 'Covid Warriors' and is an insult to all those who have lost their lives.

It also sends a completely contradictory message to the people at large especially in the light of the Prime Minister's repeated messages and his appeal, he added.

"I am sure that your good office will bring this to the notice of the honourable Prime Minister and the honourable Union Home Minister and advise the honourable MP not to endanger the lives of the people of Bhubaneswar," he said.

The Minister said that as many as 109 people have succumbed to the infection and five frontline workers have died in the fight against Covid-19 in Bhubaneswar alone.