Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Majhi on Thursday strongly condemned the statewide bandh called by the Congress and INDIA bloc, describing the harassment of ordinary citizens under the guise of protest as “utterly undemocratic”.
While affirming that the right to opposition and dissent is fundamental in a democracy, Majhi stressed that intimidating people, disrupting their daily lives, and targeting innocent residents crosses all acceptable limits. “In a democracy, the right to opposition and protest certainly exists, but abusing ordinary citizens in the name of protest, intimidating them, and disrupting their normal way of life is utterly undemocratic.”
He underlined that the Election Commission of India remains an independent constitutional body and that the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls is a routine, impartial exercise.
The Chief Minister expressed deep shame over the conduct of Congress and INDIA alliance leaders and workers, who, he said, took to the streets solely to further political interests and engaged in deplorable acts of harassment and assault against the public. No one, Majhi stressed, has the right to torment Odisha’s peaceful citizens or inflict hardships for narrow partisan ends. “…in any democratic movement, restraint and respect for the rights of ordinary people are absolutely essential.”
The 12-hour statewide bandh, which began at 6 this morning, disrupted normal life across Odisha, halting road and rail transport, shutting down commercial establishments, and leaving commuters stranded.
Protesters picketed busy junctions in Bhubaneswar, Kataka and other towns, stopping autorickshaws, government buses, private cars, two-wheelers and even vehicles carrying women and the elderly. Two trains — the Sambalpur-Puri Intercity and the Durg-Puri Intercity — were halted for several minutes. Commuters reported being blocked while heading to offices or dropping children at school; one IT professional in Bhubaneswar said he was forced to turn back at Patia Square and find an alternative route after an altercation with activists. Another resident remained stuck for hours at Baramunda bus stand unable to reach Kendrapada for a medical emergency, while a visitor from Mumbai found no cabs available at Biju Patnaik International Airport for a planned trip to Puri.
Goods transport and fuel stations were also affected, with most of the state’s nearly 3,000 petrol pumps remaining shut as a precaution, while government offices reported low attendance.
Police maintained a heavy presence across the state and reported no major violence, though isolated scuffles, including one involving a policeman in Bhadrak and the temporary stopping of a judge in Bargarh, were reported.
The INDIA bloc, comprising the Congress, CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML) Liberation, Forward Bloc, NCP (Sharad Pawar), Samajwadi Party, RJD, JMM and others, had called the shutdown to demand the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the resignation of Odisha School and Mass Education Minister Nityanand Gond, repeal of amendments to the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act, and better relief for flood-affected people.
The Biju Janata Dal, meanwhile, maintained a neutral stance, neither supporting nor opposing the bandh.