Bhubaneswar, Dec 17 Hundreds of Congress party workers on Wednesday engaged in a scuffle with the Odisha Police after they were stopped midway while marching to gherao the state office of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) here.
The Congress workers and leaders staged the protest alleging “political harassment” of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case. The police later also picked up many protesting Congress supporters from the spot.
Speaking to media persons in a press conference, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das said that the court has made it clear that there is no merit in the National Herald case and that no criminal offence has been established.
“For the last 10 years, the BJP has continuously targeted and humiliated the Gandhi family, including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, by misusing power and dragging them into a case that has now been exposed as baseless,” he said. He alleged that despite being subjected to harassment, Rahul Gandhi continued to raise issues concerning all sections of society.
“Now that the truth has come out and everything is clear, the Prime Minister and the ruling party must apologise to the people of the country for misusing investigative agencies and power,” Das said.
Explaining the background of the case, the PCC president stated that the National Herald was an institution associated with India’s freedom movement and had faced severe financial difficulties, including the inability to pay staff salaries.
“Providing assistance to such an institution is not a crime. Young Indian is a not-for-profit entity, and no individual can take even a single rupee as profit. Where is the corruption?” he asked. Bhakta Das accused the BJP of creating an atmosphere of fear by misusing authority to obstruct the opposition’s work. He further demanded accountability from those holding constitutional positions, alleging repeated misuse of power.
Announcing a series of protests, OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das said the Congress would continue its agitation against the BJP. “Today we have gheraoed the BJP office. Tomorrow there will be district-level dharnas, followed by a torch rally the next day, culminating in a protest march to the Gandhi statue,” he added.
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