In the National Herald case, the Odisha Congress unit on Saturday held rallies at various places of the State denouncing the “political vendetta” on the part of the BJP national leadership. In Bhubaneswar, a procession led by PCC president Prasad Harichandan and other senior leaders including leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra and AICC deputy in-charge of State party affairs Subhankar Sarkar was taken out from the Congress Bhawan to the lower PMG.
Hundreds of supporters joined the rally and burned effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP leader Subramanian Swamy. Even though the rally was peaceful, police detained many party leaders as a preventive measure.
“This is a political fight against the political vendetta of the BJP. We will continue our agitation against the vengeful politics of the BJP, its leader Subramanian Swamy and Narendra Modi,” said Harichandan. At Balangir, members of the District Congress Committee led by its president Bhagaban Bagarti, Hemanta Panda, laxman Meher, Kailash Mishra and Renuka Patra staged a dharna before the district Collectorate.
“Sonia Gandhi has sacrificed a lot in her life time including the post of Prime Minister. We condemn the vindictive attitude of the Narendra Modi Government towards Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi,” said Bagarti.
Congress leaders criticised Modi for his inability to bring about his promised Achje Din for people and to unearth bring black money stashed abroad.
The Congress activists burnt an effigy of Modi. In Kendrapada, party activists led by Ali MlA Debendra Sharma and former Minister Ganeswar Behera held a demonstration and burnt effigies of Modi and Subramanian Swamy.