Taking a leaf out of Telangana agitation, the Kosal Kranti Dal (KKD) staged a road blockade in western Odisha on Saturday demanding a separate Kosal state comprising 10 districts besides Athamallik sub-division of Angul district.
While KKD activists were arrested in Boudh, the agitation was peaceful in other parts of the region. Heavy vehicles were stranded on both sides of the road due to the blockade. KKD members have submitted a memorandum to the President of India on their demand.
In Sambalpur, KKD activists led by their district president Upendra Mohapatra and general secretary Rabindra Pati staged road blockade at Ainthapali Chhack paralysing traffic on NH-6 and State Highway 10 connecting Sambalpur with Rourkela.
Similar blockade was also staged in Jharsuguda where KKD activists blocked NH-200 at Prasanna Panda Chhack, while in Sonepur Kosali Ekta Manch (KEM) joined KKD in registering their protest.
Working president of KKD BN Mishra said the elected public representatives and people at large should come forward to realise the dream. He said the carving out a separate State was not impossible if people join hands for the cause.
Mishra said the KKD will be meeting at Jharsuguda on Sunday to chalk out future course of agitation. The KKD plans to mobilise people and has already launched a signature campaign to collect one crore signatures demanding a separate State. “A delegation will also visit Delhi and submit memorandum on the issue in various quarters,” Mishra added.