Odisha: Congress women activists clash with police during protest rally
By C.R.Beura
Bhubaneswar, Feb. 22: The women members of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee on Wednesday fought a pitched battle with the police in state capital Bhubaneswar during a protest rally.
The clash occurred when the police tried to prevent the protesting women from marching towards Naveen Niwas alleging “misrule,” “nepotism” and “rising atrocities on women and children.”
Led by All India Mahila Congress president Alka Lamba and Odisha Mahila Congress chief Minakshi Bahinipati, the Congress members took out a protest march to Naveen Niwas, the residence of CM Naveen Patnaik, shouting slogans against the state government. As they tried to jump barricades put up by the police on the road, it led to a scuffle with the police personnel.
Before the march, Lamba lambasted chief minister Naveen Patnaik and the Odisha government.
Addressing a Mahila Congress meeting in Bhubaneswar, Lamba said, “This is just the beginning. I will reach women in every district and village of Odisha. I am warning this government to reduce inflation, reduce unemployment and stop torturing our women, otherwise these women will topple your government.”
“Our issues are many—from unemployment to farmer issues and violence against women. Mission Shakti programme of the state government is a drama by BJD. Congress is not like them. We are honest and disciplined,” said Bahinipati during the protest march.
OPCC president Sarat Pattnayak said, “The Naveen Patnaik government has been beating its own trumpet over women’s empowerment. But his 24 years of rule has seen that women and children in the state are unsafe. Our women members are just protesting the Naveen Patnaik government’s failure to protect them and the children.”
Senior BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra said the protest by Mahila Congress was a “late awakening” by the party to galvanise the party ahead of the elections.
“Everybody knows the fact…the BJD is working for women empowerment. They are secure and safe under the BJD rule. The Congress must introspect what was the condition of the women during their regime in the past,” said Mishra.
