Bhubaneswar: A fresh political slugfest erupted between the ruling BJP and opposition BJD after the leader of opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday opposed the earlier extended judicial custody of Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) spokespersons Asutosh Ranka and Sourav Das. Even though they were released by a special executive magistrate (SEM) court in Delhi on Wednesday, the BJD and BJP continued to confront each other on the issue.Taking to X, Naveen said hoisting the National Flag, even in a prohibited area, should not warrant such prolonged detention. “The judiciary and the executive must rise to the occasion to ensure that the youth of this country do not lose faith in the rule of law and constitutional rights,” said Patnaik, demanding immediate release of the two.The statement drew a sharp response from the Odisha BJP, which accused the former chief minister of supporting elements seeking to destabilise democratic institutions. In a strongly worded statement, the saffron party said Naveen’s remarks amounted to backing “anarchists” and alleged anti-India forces.The BJD hit back, accusing the BJP of criminalising dissent and attempting to suppress opposition voices. Party spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said, “Democracy is not a crime, dissent is not disloyalty, and questioning those in power is not anarchy. When voices are silenced, history remembers those who stood up and those who chose to remain silent.”Ranka and Das are among the prominent faces of the CJP, a youth-led political outfit that has been staging protests on various issues ranging from governance and employment to democratic rights. The two leaders were detained after a demonstration in which supporters allegedly entered a prohibited zone and hoisted the national flag, triggering police action.