Bhubaneswar, Feb. 23: Hundreds of Congress activists today took to the streets, demanding immediate revocation of the charges of attempt to murder (Section 307 of the Indian Penal Code) against party workers.

On February 19, a group of the Youth Congress activists had hurdled eggs at chief minister Naveen Patnaik's cavalcade near Keshari Talkies, while the chief minister was on his way to the Utkal University to attend the annual function of its students' union. The activists had even managed to stop the carcade for nearly two minutes.

So far, police have arrested 13 Congress workers and put them behind bar.

The Congress workers also burnt effigies of the chief minister at Master Canteen Square, registering their protest. "The undemocratic attitude of the state government will not be tolerated. They are not criminals. They were protesting within the ambit of the democratic norms," said senior Congress leader Suresh Routray.

The party has threatened to intensify the agitation on the issue across the state. "We will no more tolerate this undemocratic attitude of the government," said an agitating leader.

Law minister Arun Sahoo said: "Like the criminals, they hurled eggs at the carcade of the chief minister. The cases were lodged against them as they had also attacked the police. Now, the cases have reached the court, which will decide on it. Like cowards, they are now demanding withdrawal of the cases. They should ask Rahul Gandhi whether it is the principle of the Congress."

In yet another development, former Pradesh Congress President Niranjan Patnaik today met all the party activists, who were put behind Jharpada jail.

"Had the eggs hit the chief minister, the state police would have slapped murder charges (Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code) against the Congress workers," said Patnaik sarcastically.

Patnaik further said that as the government had failed to create job opportunities for the youths in the past 15 years, the youths were frustrated at this point and were resorting to all sorts of agitation.

Following the incident, the state government has beefed up the chief minister's security.

Today, the police removed the in charge of the chief minister's carcade, assistant commissioner of police Binod Das.

Earlier, it had placed the inspector in charge of Kharavela Nagar police station and an assistant sub-inspector under suspension.

The incident had happened despite specific alerts from the state intelligence unit. The police sources said that now the senior cops were on the job to find out its best officers, who would be engaged for the chief minister's security.