A state-wide bandh on
September 10 against police action
 |
| Courtesy Photo |
Bhubaneswar, Sep 7: Alleging police
excesses on demonstrating party workers when they tried to gherao
Odisha Assembly here, Congress on Sep 6 called a state-wide bandh on
September 10 in protest and demanded a probe by Lokpal or a High Court
Judge into the incident. Congress party has decided to come on roads against the police action.
Condemning police action on 'peaceful
demonstrators' as 'barbaric', Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee
president Niranjan Patnaik claimed that over 400 party workers including
women were injured in lathicharge and force used by cops.Patnaik and Narsingh Mishra, media
cell chairman of the state Congress, told reporters here.
"Police
action was unwarranted at a time when senior leaders were addressing
the workers who were protesting against the corrupt and inefficient BJD
government in a democratic manner,"
The
Congress leaders sought to know as to who directed use of teargas, water
canon and batons against protesters who had not even tried to enter the
area where prohibitory orders under Sec 144 are in force.
Congress party describing
use of force by police as a move to suppress popular voice and
democratic methods of protest, the PCC chief announced an "Odisha bandh"
on Monday.
The Congress leaders also demanded an independent
investigation either by Lokpal or a sitting judge of the High Court into
alleged police excesses against partymen.
Senior Congress leader
Soumya Ranjan, who was injured in the incident, claimed that police
used force as they were not prepared well to handle the surging crowd
when thousands of Congress workers from across the state gathered.
