Odisha: Police books ex-Congress MP for instigating party workers to indulge in rioting

Odisha Police on Friday booked former Congress MP Pradeep Majhi on the charge of instigating party workers to indulge in rioting during the Nabarangpur bandh called to protest police "inaction" in alleged rape and murder of a minor girl.

The police registered a case against Majhi and 15 others suo-moto after a video of the ex-MP allegedly giving instruction to a party worker to keep petrol and diesel ready to set everything on fire during a bandh on Thursday went viral.

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The Congress had called a 12-hour bandh at Nabarangpur district headquarters town on Thursday to protest police inaction in probing the alleged rape and murder of a minor girl in Kosagumuda area on December 14.

The video of Majhi went viral and was also shown in local television channels. "Keep petrol and diesel ready. The moment you get instruction set everything on fire. We will see what happens next," Majhi told the party worker over there in the video.

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Taking note of the incident, Nabarangpur Police has registered a case against Majhi under Sections 147 (rioting), 341 (wrongful restraint), 353 (assault), 283 (obstruction in public way), 506 (criminal intimidation), 435 (mischief with fire), 120 (B) (conspiracy) of IPC & Section 3 of PDPP Act (1984) (Prevention of Damage to Public Properties).

Majhi said: "I am not worried over the case made against me and 15 others. Let the police book the people of the entire district. The police filed the case suo moto because no one from the public came forward to lodge a complaint. No one was harmed during the bandh."

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Asked about the phone call, Majhi said: "It was given to put pressure on the government. The case against me and others is a strategy of police to suppress the voice of people who demand justice in the rape and murder case."

"They have filed a case against me and others while the rapist and murderers are roaming freely. Why the police have not arrested the culprits involved in the heinous crime,"

Majhi asked, adding that the people are worried a lot due to police inaction in several cases involving women and young girls. "We will no more tolerate an attack on women and girls. How can anyone tolerate if his sisters are being raped and culprits go scot-free," Majhi asked.

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Replying a question as to how he instigated others to indulge in violence, Majhi said: "We believe in non-violence. But, everything has a limit. Despite our all out efforts, the police do not take action against culprits. Therefore, we are forced to give such threatening."

Meanwhile, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik said he has sought clarification from Majhi over his statement. "There has been a spate of crimes against women, particularly young girls. Majhi's anger is understandable," Patnaik said.

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In a press conference, the Odisha unit of BJP strongly condemned Majhi's action.

"The Congress leaders across the country have adopted violence as the tool of protest. They have done it everywhere during anti-CAA protests. Now, Majhi has done in Odisha. We doubt, this is instruction of Congress high command," said BJP spokesman Golak Mohapatra.

Ruling BJD in a statement also condemned Majhi's actions and termed it as a "mark of frustration". 

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