BHUBANESWAR: After the Odisha High Court disallowed the six-hour bandh called by Congress demanding the dismissal of Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra over the murder of lady teacher Mamita Meher, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) corrected its stand and maintained that the party had given a call for peaceful protests.
“We welcome and respect the High Court order on the bandh,” OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik said and added that Congress will welcome anybody who voluntarily participates in the bandh called by the party to uphold the dignity of women of the State.OPCC spokesperson SP Nayak clarified that the party has called for peaceful protests. “The party never imposed the shutdown on anyone and senior leader Chiranjib Biswal has apprised this to the High Court,” he said.
Earlier, vice-president of the OPCC Debasis Patnaik and Seva Dal chief Arjya Kumar Gyanendra called upon the people to make the protests a success. Patnaik said that the hartal will be observed across the State from 6 am to 12 noon. Meanwhile, the ruling BJD hit out at the Congress for giving the bandh call when Covid-19 pandemic has devastated the lives and livelihood of the people for the last two years and asked the party to withdraw it.
National spokesperson of BJD Sasmit Patra accused Odisha Congress of acting as B-team of the State BJP and said people of Odisha do not want a bandh. Stating that the loss of their earnings will lead to pain in the lives of people, Patra said they will never forgive Congress and its A team BJP which is sponsoring the bandh.