Youth Cong activists try to gherao CM’s residence

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Youth Congress activists scuffled with police personnel and hurled eggs at them while trying to gherao the residence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi here on Saturday. Holding posters and banners, the Youth Congress workers, led by State president Ranjit Patra, took out a march towards the Chief Minister’s official residence on the AG Square-Raj Bhavan road to protest over the recent alleged gang-rape of a minor girl at Dhauli hills near Bhubaneswar.

A 17-year-old college student was allegedly gang-raped by some men near Dhauli hills on December 10. When police personnel prevented the Congress workers midway, the party supporters hurled eggs at the police force.

The police detained several Youth Congress activists and dispersed the protesters.

They demanded the resignation of the Chief Minister for allegedly failing to protect girls and women of the State. Youth Congress leader Syed Yashir Nawaz alleged that the law and order situation has collapsed in the peace-loving State of Odisha during the BJP regime.

“A college student was gang-raped at Gopalpur beach in June, while another similar incident happened at Dhauli, which is treated as the symbol of peace.

The government and police failed to provide security to women,” the Congress leader alleged.

Reacting to the protest, BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal said the State government, led by Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, is committed to take legal action against whoever breaks the law.

In the Dhauli incident, the police have arrested the accused persons, and they were sent to jail, he said, adding that the case has been categorised as “Red Flag” to provide speedy justice to the victim.

“Some youths of the Congress are playing drama to divert the public’s attention from the infighting within their party,” Biswal said.