The 12-hour Odisha bandh call given by the Congress and the 12-hour hartal called by the BJP against the death of Kunduli gangrape victim hit normal life badly in the Balangir town on Wednesday.
The impact of the bandh was all pervasive as shops and other business establishments, petrol pumps, post-offices and banks remained closed and private and Government buses were off the roads. The District and Sessions Judge Court was also closed due to picketing by the agitating activists.
Congress workers led by Hemanta Panda, Bhagaban Bagarti, Balangir district president Dilip Behera and Samrendra Mishra shouted slogans against the Naveen Patnaik Government and burnt his effigy.
Senior Congress leader Hemanta Panda said since last four months, the gangraped victim was pleading for justice; and as she could not get it, she committed suicide. He also questioned how the BJD Government would ensure security of women.
BJP activists led by Gopalji Panigrahi, Ajaya Bali and BJP women wing president Sagarika Guru staged a demonstration before the Collectorate and burnt an effigy of Naveen Patnaik and criticised his Government for failing to provide justice to the Kunduli gangrape victim.