On Thursday (27 March), the Congress protest in Odisha’s capital Bhubaneswar suddenly turned violent. During this protest against the formation of a committee to investigate atrocities against women and the suspension of Congress MLAs, there was a fierce clash between Congress workers and the police. Videos of the clash are coming out on social media, in which Congress workers are seen picking up chairs lying on the road and throwing them at the police. Seeing the angry protesters, the police was seen retreating, but after this the police lathi-charged and started chasing the protesters.
Police also resorted to lathicharge and water cannon
Earlier, the police had used water cannons to disperse the protesters. But the Congress workers were not ready to back down, after which the police had to resort to lathicharge repeatedly. There are reports of many Congress workers being injured in this clash. On the other hand, the Congress gheraoed the Odisha Assembly, where a large number of police forces are deployed. At present, the Assembly seems to have been transformed into a fortress.
Earthquake in the area, 12 Congress MLAs suspended
The matter heated up when there was a huge uproar in the Odisha Assembly on Tuesday. Congress MLAs had demanded the formation of a committee to investigate the crimes against women during the eight-month tenure of the BJP government. When the demand was not met, the Congress MLAs disrupted the proceedings by ringing the bell in the House, singing ‘Ram Dhun’ and playing whistles and flutes. On this, Speaker Surma Padhi suspended 12 Congress MLAs.
BSNL gets supermarket, protests intensify
The matter became more heated on Wednesday, when the suspended Congress MLAs were forcibly taken out of the assembly. During this, two more Congress MLAs were suspended. Congress announced to gherao the assembly in protest against this. On Thursday, a large number of Congress workers gathered outside the assembly, after which the protest turned violent. At present the protest is continuing and the situation remains tense.