After the BJP Mahila Morcha durfing the last three days, the Mahila Congress on Thursday took to the streets against Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment Minister Pradeep Maharathy protesting against his controversial remarks hailing the acquittal of Pipili gangrape and murder case accused.
The Mahila Congress members, who came in a rally from the Congress Bhawan holding placards and shouting slogans against the State Government, marched towards the Naveen Niwas to gherao it, demanding resignation of Maharathy.
However, they were intercepted by police at Sishu Bhawan Square leading to a scuffle between them and cops.
Notably, earlier on December 30, the President of State Mahila Congress Sumitra Jena had threatened to gherao the Naveen Niwas on January 3, if Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik failed to take action against Maharathy.
The protestors also hurled tomatoes at the police officials and squatted on the road. “We will also protest against the Chief Minister in the same manner by holding rallies and demonstrations till Maharathy resigns or he is ousted by the CM from the State Cabinet,” said Jena.
The Crime Branch and police have failed to collect evidence against the Pipili culprits and now they are exercising their power on the agitators,” said Mahila Congress leader Bijayalaxmi Sahoo.
Later, many protestors were taken into preventive custody by police.
Maharathy had triggered controversy by saying that that he welcomed the court’s judgement in the Pipili case and also claimed, obviously satirically, that the victim got justice.