Activists of Navnirman Krushak Sanghathan raise slogans in the Assembly on Monday. Picture by Sanjib Mukherjee

Bhubaneswar, Dec. 16: Activists of Navnirman Krushak Sangathan, an organisation fighting for the cause of farmers, today raised slogans in the visitors gallery of the heavily guarded Assembly, taking everybody by surprise.

Even one of them attempted to jump off the gallery. However, a security personnel prevented him from doing so. The incident has raised questions about the security arrangements in and around the Assembly, which was in session.

Last year, activists of the same organisation were arrested while trying to enter the high-security Naveen Nivas, official residence of chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

Today morning, when the Assembly was witnessing uproarious scenes with Congress members demanding resignation of revenue and disaster management minister Surjya Narayan Patro, slogans were heard from the visitors’ gallery too. Security personnel deployed there rushed and overpowered four persons.

Adding to the worry of the security personnel, one of the activists tried to jump over the fence of the gallery. Security staff took away four activists — identified as Ramakant Jena, Dilip Barik, Surendra Maharana and Subash Bhol — and detained them.

The activists said they wanted to draw the attention of the legislature to their demands for waiver of loan for Phailin-hit farmers and a bonus of Rs 500 for a quintal of paddy over and above the minimum support price.

Members of the outfit have been staging fast since the last eight days on these demands, but no political leader has come to the hunger strike site to express solidarity, an activist said.

“We have not breached any law. We have just voiced our demand in a democratic way,” said Jena, one of the activists.

Assembly’s security officer P.K. Das said the activists were released later after they gave a written undertaking that they would not repeat such act in future.

Das denied any lapse in the security of the Assembly.

“They had entered the visitors gallery with valid entry pass on the recommendation of three MLAs — Nabin Nanda and Debendra Kanhar (BJD) and Pratap Chandra Sarangi (Independent),” he said.