Bhubaneswar: Cong workers hurl eggs, tomatoes at cops during rally

Bhubaneswar, March 2:  Youth Congress workers hurled eggs and tomatoes at police personnel following a scuffle at Rajmahal Square here on Friday.

The scuffle broke out after police personnel stopped the Odisha Pradesh Youth Congress workers who were on their way to 'gherao' the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over the issue of unemployment.

The Youth Congress workers led by senior leaders including Pradesh Youth Congress president, Ranjit Patra, B.V. Srinivas, President of Indian Youth Congress, Jayadev Jena, Suresh Kumar Routray took out the rally from Master Canteen Square to gherao 'Naveen Niwas', CM Patnaik's residence here.

The workers accused the state government of failing to give employment to youths in Odisha despite ruling the state for 24 years.

"The ruling Biju Janata Dal is scared of congress. We are demanding jobs for the youths of Odisha. The government should end corruption and control the price rise in Odisha. The government should also stop the migration of youths who are working as security guards in other states. You can't relax by handing over the reins of government to an officer," said Srinivas.

Srinivas said that the fight will continue, and the Congress workers will stage a 'gherao' of ministers in the coming days as well.

"There is no democratic system in the state to raise the demands before CM Patnaik in a constitutional way. The students and youths have no other option but to hold the protest on the road," said former bureaucrat and Congress leader Bijay Patnaik.

Around 100 protesters have been detained by the police for trying to break the barricades and engaged in a scuffle with the police personnel.