Odisha comes to a standstill as Congress calls for bandh

Life came to a standstill in Odisha on Monday as Congress called for a statewide bandh to protest against the police action against partymen on Thursday when they protested over coalgate outside the state Assembly.

According to reports, most schools and colleges are shut. Trains and other modes of public transport have been disrupted. However, reports claim that the bandh has been peaceful so far.

Nearly 51 platoons of the police have been deployed in the state capital to ensure law and order.

In the protests that happened on Thursday, the police arrested nearly 34 of the Congress partymen.

The Congress had called for protests demanding Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s resignation saying that he recommended people for coal blocks.

In the clashes that ensued, a lady police constable was attacked by a few of the protesters.

The woman later claimed that Odisha Congress in-charge Jagdish Tytler had incited the mob to attack her.

While Tytler and six others were immediately arrested, the Congress sought to defend him with Niranjan Patnaik saying that Tytler gave no such instructions to attack the woman. “In fact, it was the Congress that defended and protected the woman, not the police,” he added.

Congress General Secretary Digvijaya Singh had some harsh words for Tytler, however, saying that the act of attacking a lady constable was condemnable and those guilty must be punished. Tytler, however, defended himself, saying he was not a part of any such conspiracy and that the police too attacked some of the Congress women partyworkers.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik condemned the incident and said Odisha was not used to such acts of violence.