Bhubaneswar, Mar 28 (PTI) The opposition Congress and BJD in Odisha on Friday slammed Director General of Police YB Khurania for making an “inappropriate” and “political” statement on the violent protest near the assembly building which left several people including security personnel injured the previous day.
Congress MP Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka also sent a notice to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla alleging breach of privilege by the DGP as, he claimed, he was heckled and illegally detained for more than three hours following another incident near the assembly, due to which he could not attend Parliament on Wednesday.
Among those injured in Thursday’s clash between the police and Congress supporters were 15 personnel, most of whom were hit by stones thrown by the protesters after being stopped on the Mahatma Gandhi Marg in the heart of the city, ahead of the party’s ‘Vidhan Sabha Gherao’ programme.
As the Congress workers successfully breached the security cordon and broke the first barricades, police began a lathi charge, besides using tear gas shells, and water cannons.
The DGP’s alleged comments made after visiting injured police personnel in a hospital sparked controversy.
Khurania had said that all those who indulged in violence during the Congress’ Gherao of the Assembly would be sent to jail.
He used words like “atankraj (terror tactics) of anti-socials” and mentioned that he would not tolerate anyone touching a policeman in uniform.
“Such a vindictive and revengeful statement from the State Police Chief is completely unacceptable. It is a clear violation of the police manual rule. Anger and revenge was clearly visible on the DGP’s face. Calling protestors anti-socials is not acceptable,” BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said in a statement.
BJD demanded that Khurania apologise publicly for his statement and to express regret for contributing to a “negative atmosphere” in the state, Mohanty said.
The BJD spokesperson criticised the DGP’s labelling of protesters as “anti-social” individuals and the subsequent threat of legal action.
Mohanty asserted that such “remarks are not only unjust but also violate the Odisha Police Manual Rule, which strictly prohibits police officers from being revengeful, under any circumstances”.
At a press conference here, state Congress president Bhakta Charan Das also accused Khurania of making a political statement on the agitation, and threatening the party.
“It is not proper on the part of an officer, who is holding a position in the administration, to give a political statement,” Das said.
“They can take action as per law, but the police cannot give threats like goons. Our 10 people are in serious condition and we have video footage of the police brutality. We may have to file a case against the police,” Das said.
Meanwhile, Ulaka, Congress MP from Koraput, sent a notice to the Lok Sabha Speaker accusing the DGP and a deputy commissioner of police of Bhubaneswar of breaching his privilege on Wednesday.
On that day, Congress workers engaged in a scuffle with the security personnel at the main gate of the assembly, as police closed it to prevent the entry of the party activists.
Ulaka claimed that at around 10:30 AM on March 26 he was detained by police personnel while he attempted to enter the Odisha Assembly in his capacity as a Member of Parliament.
“Despite clearly identifying myself and asserting my democratic and constitutional right to access the premises, I was heckled, manhandled, forcibly stopped and illegally detained at Reserve Office Bhubaneshwar for more than three hours resulting in my inability to attend Parliament on that day,” Ulaka said in a letter to Birla.
Claiming that such “actions obstruct the functioning of an elected representative and challenge the dignity of the House itself”, he urged the Speaker that the matter be referred to the Committee of Privileges for immediate and appropriate action against the officers concerned.
The Congress organised the protest to press for its demand for a high-level probe into crimes against women that they alleged have increased during the tenure of the BJP, which came to power in June last year. PTI AAM NN
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