Odisha Assembly Showdown: Congress MLAs Protest Eviction and Suspension

Tensions soared as Congress MLAs were forcibly evicted from the Odisha Assembly after staging a protest. Alleging manhandling and illegal eviction, they demand a probe into rising crimes against women. Odisha Congress leaders, on sit-in, faced arrest, intensifying the confrontation between the party and state authorities.

In a dramatic escalation of political tensions, Congress MLAs were forcibly removed from the Odisha Assembly after staging a sit-in to protest against their suspension. The forced eviction occurred late Tuesday night, with the legislators temporarily left on the streets, a move they branded as 'grossly illegal and undemocratic.'

The incident stemmed from the MLAs' demand for a House Committee to investigate increasing crimes against women in the state. Allegations of being denied basic amenities while in the Assembly further fueled the dispute. Party leaders, including Odisha Congress president Bhakta Charan Das, responded with a sit-in at Master Canteen area, drawing a strong response from law enforcement.

Police action included the preventive arrest of senior Congress figures, who accused the government of avoiding accountability by stalling the investigation into women's safety issues. Despite the suspension and intimidation, Congress vowed to persist in their demands, with MLA Sofia Firdous asserting the party's resolve to ensure justice and safety for women in Odisha.

(With inputs from agencies.)