The Odisha police on Thursday lathi-charged Congress workers and used water cannons to disperse them, as hundreds of party workers staged demonstrations near the Assembly to press for the formation of a House Committee to probe into the alleged rise in crimes against women in the state.
Congress workers hurled tomatoes, eggs and stones at the police at the protest. Several workers and about fifteen police personnel sustained injuries during the altercation. Journalists covering the incident had to use plastic chairs as shields to protect themselves during the violence. A television journalist allegedly sustained a head injury.
The Congress organised a rally of this scale for the first time since September of 2012. This is being seen as an attempt by the party to rejuvenate itself.
As per “Vidhan Sabha gherao” call of the Odisha Pradesh Congress (PCC), thousands of Congress workers gathered at Lower PMG Square in support of their demand for the formation of a House Committee.
Many Congress workers failed to join the rally as police detained them at several points. To prevent the workers from reaching the Assembly, the police turned the area into a fortress by installing barricades, placing water cannons, a tear gas unit and more than 12 platoons of personnel at the PMG square. The other 68 platoons were deployed in different parts of the city.
Things started heating up after Congress leaders targeted the BJP government for failing to protect members of the fair sex. They also raised slogans against the Mohan Charan Majhi government, accusing it of being dictatorial.
A group of young Congress workers marched towards the police barricades, shouting slogans. Some started climbing the first barricade despite the police resistance. The workers marched towards the second barricade, and this was where the scuffle with police began. Many started hurling plastic chairs at the policemen.
As the situation turned uglier, the police resorted to mild lathi-charge. It then used water canons and later lobbed tear gas canisters to disperse the workers.
Later, when the police were about to arrest the Pradesh Congress Committee president Bhakta Charan Das and other leaders, Das insisted that before his arrest, police had to announce it on a microphone so that all Congress workers present there could hear it. The police later relented and the magistrate present there had to announce it on a microphone.
PCC president Bhakta Charan Das said: “We will not buckle down under the fear of arrest. We will organise Nari Satyagraha in every panchayat of the state.”
“Many of our workers have been injured and four of them are serious. The activists are being treated in different hospitals,” he added.
Additional commissioner of police Narasingha Bhol said: “Around fifteen policemen were injured during the violence. There was an attempt to set fire to a police vehicle. We will launch an investigation.”
Congress leaders claimed that around 10 activists were hurt in the police action, and among them was the party’s former state president, Jaydev Jena, who sustained injury on his hands.
The BJD indirectly lent support to Congress. “The police also used force. They pelted stones, used tear gas and water cannons against Congress workers. Why did the Speaker not take action to bring the House into order when the Congress MLAs agitated?” asked a BJD MLA.
State BJP president Manmohan Samal slammed the Congress for indulging in violence. “I condemn their hooliganism. The Congress should look at its black past and introspect,” said Samal.
Additional inputs from PTI
