On Tuesday, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC), in tandem with INDIA bloc allies, staged a massive “Parivartan Rally” from Master Canteen to Lower PMG.
The demonstration culminated in high-voltage scuffles with police forces, leading to the detention of dozens of Congress workers who attempted to breach security barricades.
Led by OPCC President Bhakta Charan Das and Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Leader Ramachandra Kadam, the rally outlined three non-negotiable demands:
- Resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar.
- Withdrawal of the central MMDR Amendment Bill, which leaders warn threatens state revenue and resource autonomy.
- Resignation of School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond over severe textbook errors.
Addressing the gathering, OPCC Chief Bhakta Charan Das announced a nationwide call for an all-party Odisha Bandh on Oct 8.
“This agitation is aimed at awakening the double-engine government and driving real change,” Das stated, adding that protests will expand to every village across the state and culminate in a gherao of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi’s official residence.
CLP Leader Ramachandra Kadam confirmed that ahead of the Oct 8 shutdown, a major Parivartan Rally will be held in Keonjhar on Oct 7. Kadam credited sustained Congress agitation for forcing the early adjournment of the state Assembly, warning that protests will intensify further if the government fails to address their core demands.
