Congress protests over remark against Rahul

Bhubanesswar: Joining the nationwide protest call given by the party, Odisha Congress leaders on Thursday staged a protest in Bhubaneswar demanding action against four NDA leaders over their alleged controversial remarks against Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi. Holding banners and posters, the Congress leaders and workers took out a protest rally from Congress Bhawan near Master Canteen Square.

When they marched towards the State BJP office here, the police stopped them at Kharavelnagar, leading to a scuffle between the police and Congress workers.The police detained several activists and released them later. After the protest, the Congress leaders lodged a complaint with Kharavelnagar police station against BJP leaders Tarvinder Singh Marwah, Raghuraj Singh, Ravneet Bittu (Minister of State for Railways) and Shiv Sena MLA Sanjay Gaikwad.

Speaking to mediapersons, senior Congress leader and former Union minister Srikant Jena said, “Those who have hatched a conspiracy to assassinate Rahul Gandhi are roaming freely. The police have not yet arrested them. Neither Prime Minister Narendra Modi nor Union Home Minister Amit Shah have commented on this issue till now.”

Condemning the remarks made by the BJP and NDA leaders, Jena demanded immediate arrest of the leaders.

Similarly, Congress MLA Sofia Firdous said the NDA government is worried over the rise of Congress and the popularity of Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi.Due to strong opposition, the Union government was forced to take back some major decisions like reservation for creamy layer, and UPSC lateral entry, she said.

“After becoming intolerant towards the Congress, the BJP and NDA leaders are threatening to kill Rahul Gandhi in public. We condemn such personal attacks on Rahul.

It is not acceptable at all in a healthy democracy like India,” she said.