Bhubaneswar/Cuttack Dec. 22: Protests against Bhubaneswar mayor Ananta Naryan Jena for his alleged involvement in a sex scandal rocked the twin cities throughout the day today.
BJP activists staged a demonstration in front of the office of the director general of police in Cuttack today, while Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) organised similar protests in Bhubaneswar demanding immediate resignation of Jena. The BJP also threatened not to let chief minister Naveen Patnaik attend the mega air show planned by the state government to commemorate the centenary celebrations of Biju Patnaik on Friday if Jena was not sacked before that.
Hundreds of BJP members scuffled with the police in Cuttack as they tried to barge into the office of the director general of police despite prohibitory orders. The BJP activists alleged that police had adopted a partisan attitude during the dawn-to-dusk bandh called by them in Bhubaneswar yesterday. They accused the police of helping the BJD members who attacked them "even though they were demonstrating peacefully".
"It was just a symbolic protest against the police as they had remained a mute spectator when BJD activists organised a motorcycle rally and attacked our workers during yesterday's bandh," said former minister and senior BJP leader Sameer Dey.
Janpath had turned into a battle zone yesterday after workers of the BJP and the BJD clashed time and again during the strike yesterday. Around 20 workers from both the parties were injured in the clash.
"The entire police department was aware that our party had called the strike. Under what circumstances was the BJD allowed to organise a parallel rally?" asked BJP leader Nayan Kishore Mohanty.
The Congress also launched an indefinite dharna in front of the office of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) today demanding removal of the mayor. They also demanded a CBI probe into the sex scandal. "We will continue to protest till a CBI probe is ordered into the sex scandal and Jena is removed from the post of mayor. The police are supporting the ruling party and in such circumstances, a free probe cannot be conducted," said Congress leader Suresh Kumar Routray.
Congress members also accused Jena of using his clout to influence the ongoing investigation into death of an engineering student. "Jena is using his political clout to influence the investigation of the police. If the mayor is not in the video then what is making him so scared. The investigation by the police will not be fair and the CBI should probe into the case," said Congress leader Sangram Jena.
The AAP also staged a demonstration in the city demanding a judicial probe into the sex video case. "The mayor should resign till the investigation is completed. The ruling party has been shielding its tainted members," said an AAP leader.
In a related development, the police today registered more than 10 cases in several police stations across the city against the BJP and the BJD in connection with yesterday's group clash. The police also registered two cases on the basis of complaint filed by two commuters who were allegedly manhandled by the protesters during the bandh.
"We are analysing the CCTV footage of various traffic intersections to identify the trouble-mongers during yesterday's bandh. Stringent action will be taken against protestors involved in damaging of vehicles belonging to members of the public," said deputy commissioner of police Satyabrata Bhoi.
