Bhubaneswar: The police have registered three cases against Driver Mahasangha for entering the city despite its assurance not to do so and indulging in violence.
The deputy commissioner of police U S Dash said CCTV footage of the protests at different places of the city are being examined and action will be taken against those who resorted to violence during the agitation by the drivers in the city Monday.
“The Drivers Mahasangha had assured us that their members will remain outside the city and a delegation will enter it for discussions on their demands. However, they entered the city and resorted to road blockades and violence in some pockets,” the DCP said.
He said the police had reserved 25 platoons (one platoon comprise 30 personnel) for the protest and Mahasangh had also appointed some volunteers for a peaceful protest. But the situation changed as its leaders could not manage their members who resorted into violence.
The agitators damaged some vehicles at places and blockaded roads leading to traffic congestion.
Opposition BJP and Congress have criticised the Bhubaneswar commissionrate of police for not being able to handle the drivers’ protest despite the intelligence wing cautioning that about 40,000 agitators were expected to participate in the agitation on April 18.
BJP state general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan alleged that the agitation by the drivers was sponsored by the BJD government.
“The demands of the drivers are justified and the BJP have supported them. But we oppose vehemently the way some anti-socials in the garb of agitators roamed around the city with lathis and intimidated commuters. We strongly condemn such dastardly act,” Harichandan told reporters.
Congress MLA Santosh Singh Saluja said the violence during the drivers’ protest is nothing but the failure of police administration and intelligence department.
“We have sympathy for the drivers. But, at the same time we condemn the way they staged their protest, causing a lot trouble to commuters,” Saluja said.
The Mahasangha demonstrated Monday demanding fulfillment of their 10-point charter of demands including social security of drivers, fixation of a minimum remuneration, monthly pension insurance for accidental deaths among others.
PTI