Bhubaneswar: The youth wing of the Odisha Congress staged a massive protest in the City Thursday, opposing alleged vote theft and the sale of government jobs.
The demonstration was led by Pradesh Youth Congress president Ranjit Patra and attended by All India Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib.
Addressing the gathering, Chib alleged that both the state and Central governments lack a genuine public mandate, claiming that large-scale electoral fraud had occurred.
Also Read: Youth Congress protests outside BJP MP’s house in Odisha over Rahul remark
Chib demanded a judicial probe into the Sub-Inspector (SI) recruitment scam, alleging that posts were sold for as much as Rs 25 lakh each.
Several Congress leaders, including Jaydev Jena and Ramesh Jena, also criticised the BJP and the state government during the protest.
Ranjit Patra said the Youth Congress would continue its fight for the rights of unemployed youth in Odisha and raise awareness about vote manipulation and corruption.
Later, Youth Congress workers marched towards Lower PMG, where police stopped them, leading to minor scuffles.
The agitators breached two barricades before being detained by police. Meanwhile, state BJP spokesperson Manoj Mohapatra accused the Congress of deceiving the nation and Odisha’s people for decades, saying the party is now staging protests merely for media attention.