Over 5,000 Congress activists of the district led by Umaballav Rath, lalatendu Bidyadhar Mahapatra, Rabindra Kumar Sethy and district president Sarat Kumar Rath, besidesall the panchayat level party functionaries, on Tuesday took out a rally here and gheraoed the collectorate.
They gave high-sounding slogans and held a public meeting near the district Collector’s office, lambasting the BJD Government for shielding the BJD functionaries who were issued ration cards and for corruption in the NFSA list.
They said while the BJD Government was taking actions against the employees, it did not take any action against their party leaders and supporters most whom have been issued ration cards.
Their four- point charter of demands which was handed over to the district administration includes registration of criminal cases against the wife of Zilla Parishad president Dibakar Patra and vice president of the parishad, Chairpersons of Nimapara and Gop panchayat sammitis, sarpanchas of Bantaligram and Biraharekrushnapur gram panchayats, apart from five BJD Councilors of Puri Municipality who were issued ration cards. They also demanded legal actions against the officers and staff members who helped them get the ration cards, inclusion of genuine and eligible persons whose names were deleted from the list and opening of all paddy mandis to stop distress sale. While the meeting was in progress suddenly scores of eggs flew targeting the police officers on duty at the meeting place. It is learnt, some angry Congress activists resorted to target the police to avenge manhandling of Swadhin Panda, one of their colleagues who was arrested and allegedly thrashed by the police in connection with hurling of eggs on the vehicle of law Minister Arun Sahu near Badasankha on the Monday night. Panda was arrested and was forwarded to court. He was sent to jail custody after his bail plea was refused by the Magistrate.