Bhubaneswar: Congress state president Bhakta Charan Das, several party MLAs and over 30 leaders were on Friday booked for their alleged involvement in Thursday’s violent protest at Mahatma Gandhi Marg here.
The confrontation had resulted in injuries to more than 30 people, including 12 police personnel. The incident occurred when police blocked Congress members from proceeding towards the assembly.
“The Capital police station’s FIR lists Bhakta, several party MLAs, and others, who have been charged under multiple BNS sections, including unlawful assembly, rioting, wrongful restraint, assault on public servants, and criminal intimidation. Investigation is in progress. Those who pelted stones, chairs, and eggs on police personnel will be identified and arrested,” a senior police officer said.
Two more FIRs were also registered regarding an attempted arson on a police vehicle during Thursday’s protest and a confrontation between Congress members and the police outside the assembly entrance on Wednesday evening. No arrest has been made so far in connection with the three cases.
Congress refused to take responsibility for the violence, with Bhakta stating the attackers were external elements, not Congress members. “We appealed to our members to hold a peaceful protest. They stuck to the advice and protested peacefully. Some unknown miscreants with criminal intent trespassed into our gathering and unleashed violence. They are not Congress members,” Bhakta said.
Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati accused BJP of orchestrating the violence by deploying troublemakers to discredit Congress. He claimed police falsely implicated Congress leaders under BJP’s influence. “Around 100 to 150 people, who were mobilised by the BJP, spread violence. None of our party members was involved in the unrest,” he said.
BJP dismissed these allegations, with law minister Prithiviraj Harichandan stating that violence is inherent to Congress. “Causing violence is a genetic issue of the Congress. They did it several times in the state in the past and repeated it on Thursday. They should not take the plea that outsiders were involved in the crime,” Harichandan said.