By PTI
BHUBANESWAR: The Congress protested in Odisha on Friday, demanding the arrest of minister Dibya Shankar Mishra for his alleged closeness with the prime accused within the Kalahandi instructor’s kidnap and homicide.
The state-wide ‘hartal’, led by the Congress, started at 6 am and handed off peacefully with none untoward incident, police mentioned.
The six-hour ‘hartal’ evoked combined response among the many individuals with Congress activists picketing at a number of vital junctions throughout the state.
Many Congress employees had been seen requesting individuals to look at the ‘hartal’ for the sake of safety of ladies within the state.
In Cuttack, some ‘hartal’ supporters had been seen providing sweets to the individuals to solicit their help. Markets and departmental shops had been closed until 12 midday. Small outlets remained open, whereas automobiles had been lesser than traditional on the roads. People additionally most popular to remain indoors because of the inclement climate. Government and personal workplaces witnessed regular attendance.
The Congress thanked the individuals of Odisha for his or her “overwhelming” help to the ‘hartal’, whereas the ruling BJD termed it a “joke”.
The BJP, which has been accused of sponsoring the Congress-led ‘hartal’, was too cautious over its response.
“The Kalahandi woman teacher’s killing has already become a mass movement in the state. Many parties and organisations are holding agitations, and Friday’s event was one among them,” BJP spokesperson Golak Mohapatra mentioned.
All non-BJD events within the state supported the ‘hartal’ although many didn’t publicly converse in help of the Congress. The opposition has been demanding the sacking of Mishra, accusing him of protecting the prime accused.
The 24-year-old girl instructor’s physique was exhumed from the compound of the college the place she taught in Kalahandi on October 19.
The Congress had known as a six-hour bandh throughout the state on Friday, however the Orissa High Court had dominated on Thursday that solely a ‘hartal’ may very well be held and never a basic strike.
“We have held the hartal peacefully as per the high court’s direction. The people of Odisha, particularly women, have now realised that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has been shielding the Minister of State for Home,” mentioned senior Congress MLA Suresh Routray.
The ‘hartal’ affected regular life in Bolangir, the native place of the instructor, and Kalahandi, the place she labored.
Some sporadic highway blockades had been reported from just a few districts, however police had been swift to take away them. Paradip Port, Nalco and different industries within the state functioned as traditional, a senior police officer mentioned.
The Congress mentioned it will be persevering with the protests until Mishra resigns.
BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra mentioned the “failure” of the ‘hartal’ confirmed how a lot irrelevant the Congress has turn into within the state.
“They are not concerned about ensuring justice for the teacher’s family, but the leaders are only bothered about securing the state party president’s post by getting TV footage about their protests,” he claimed.
