Odisha: Congress holds ‘hartal’ demanding sacking and arrest of minister

Bhubaneswar: The Congress party held a six-hour ‘hartal’ in Odisha on Friday demanding the sacking and arrest of state minister DS Mishra for his alleged closeness with the prime accused in the Kalahandi teacher’s kidnap and murder.

The hartal began at 6am amid tight security and is peaceful so far with no report of any untoward incident, police said.

All non-BJD parties are supporting the state-wide protest, reported PTI.

The opposition parties have been demanding the sacking of the minister after the body of the 24-year-old woman teacher was exhumed from the compound of the school where she taught in Kalahandi on October 19.

Congress had called for a six-hour bandh across the state but the Orissa High Court on Thursday ruled that only a hartal can be allowed and not a general strike.

Congress activists were seen picketing at several places, but none prevented plying of vehicles or forced shops and business establishments to down shutters, reported PTI.

Markets and owners of big shops were, however, closed fearing violence. Small shops were open and some vehicles operated across the state.

Buses were seen plying in Bhubaneswar but there were few passengers.

“We are holding the hartal peacefully as per the HC direction. People on their own stayed put in their houses. The people of Odisha, particularly women, have now realised that CM Naveen Patnaik has been shielding the minister of state for home,” said Congress leader and MLA Suresh Routray.

The hartal impacted life in Bolangir, the native place of the murdered woman teacher, and Kalahandi, where she was killed and buried.