‘Denied Toilet Access, Manhandled’: High Drama In Odisha Assembly & Outside

Bhubaneswar: High drama continued in the Odisha Assembly and triggered face-off outside late on Tuesday as police prohibited senior Congress leaders from entering the premises where suspended MLAs of the party remained seated below the Speaker’s podium holding placards as a mark of protest.

Then followed a long verbal exchange on the powers of the police as the former assembly members claimed legitimate access rights. OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das, former ministers Niranjan Patnaik, Narasingha Mishra, Jayadev Jena and Sarat Rout, who wanted to meet the suspended legislators, were later picked up by the police and taken to the reserve ground.

“Five of us who wanted to meet our MLAs are all former ministers and entitled to enter the Assembly. But the manner in which the government used force against us is utterly pathetic,” Das said.

Earlier, youth Congress members were detained after they managed to sneak into Sachivalaya Marg in front of the State Assembly, where Section 163 of BNSS was in force in view of the ongoing budget session. “We made preventive detention of some people for violation of prohibitory orders,” Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena said.

On Tuesday, the Odisha assembly witnessed an uproarious scene, after 12 suspended Congress MLAs refused to vacate the Well of the House, as they staged a demonstration, demanding formation of a committee to inquire into crimes against women during the eight-month BJP rule in the state.

THE ‘INSIDE’ STORY

At around 2 am, the Congress members, sleeping near the podium of the Speaker from the Assembly, were forcibly evicted from the Assembly and dropped near the Congress Bhawan.

The legislators, who continued their agitation and spent the entire night on the street at Lower PMG in front of Congress Bhawan, alleged that they were manhandled by the security personnel. Senior Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati alleged that he was thrashed, his neck twisted and gold chain snatched. “We were manhandled and forcibly evicted from the Assembly at the dead of the night. This is grossly illegal and undemocratic. We are in politics to serve the people and fight against injustice, but after such treatment, I have decided to quit politics,” he told the media, expressing disappointment over the incident.

Bahinipati reportedly fell ill and underwent a health check-up following the incident.

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Rama Chandra Kadam alleged that the party MLAs during their stay in the Assembly, were denied food, water and even toilet facility. Kadam was injured in the Assembly on Tuesday night as a security man slammed the door on his hand. He sustained injuries on his finger.

CONGRESS’ REACTIONS

“Whatever happened yesterday will be written in black letters in history. Democracy was murdered, 12 MLAs were suspended. They were beaten up at 2.30 am and thrown on the road. What were the MLAs demanding… they were asking questions over women’s safety. What is the action plan of the government? The CM should answer,” said Odisha Congress in-charge Ajay Kumar Lallu as the party continued a massive protest against the BJP Government on the street on Wednesday.

Taking to his X handle, Niranjan Patnaik wrote:” It breaks my heart to see the state of affairs in #Odisha under BJP government. Women and children are being subjected to relentless exploitation and violence, yet the government continues to turn a blind eye. When we demanded a committee in the Assembly to ensure justice and accountability, they chose to suspend 12 of our MLAs. Our leaders were not just silenced—they were dragged, beaten, and thrown out of the Assembly premises. But let me be clear: no amount of force will crush our voice. We are fighting on the streets and in the House because we refuse to accept a system that protects the powerful and abandons the vulnerable. Why is the government so afraid of an independent inquiry? What is it trying to hide by refusing to form a committee?”

The grand old party had earlier announced Assembly gherao on March 27.