A 12-hour bandh call by Congress was total in Rourkela on Thursday. The shops, State and Central Government offices, petrol pumps, banks and educational institutions were closed.
Buses, auto rickshaws and taxis were off the road. Despite few stray incidents the bandh was peaceful.
Congress workers were seen picketing at Bisra Chowk, Uditnagar and Main Road. Violence was reported during picketing and shutting down the shops and other establishments in the Main Road between some vendors and youth Congress workers. The daily market area witnessed a clash. But the bandh had no impact on the production of Rourkela Steel Plant.
Adequate security arrangements were made by police to maintain law and order situation.
It is to be mentioned here that the Congress party had called for the Rourkela bandh demanding withdrawal of point 9 in the set of norms to select the beneficiaries under National Food Security Act. Few leaders including DCC president Biren Senapati, former MlA Pravat Mohapatra were detained by police at Uditnagar and later released on personal bond. Senapati claimed the bandh was successful and people were involved in large numbers.
He alleged that the State Government has been cheating the poor people and terrorising them with police case and by imposing penalty. He warned of intensifying the agitation if the Government did not desistfrom such move.