Interview Times 
Thousands of Congress party members in Odisha, India, protested against the administration of the governing Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government on Monday by staging a protest march towards the state secretariat, denouncing it as “misrule.”
The BJD, which has ruled Odisha for more than 20 years, and the Congress party are still at odds politically, which is why there is a demonstration today. While the Congress party continues to accuse the BJD of different governance failings, the BJD remains steadfast in its dedication to upholding the interests of the state.
The Protest March and the Standoff: The demonstration started at the Congress Bhawan, the party’s headquarters in Bhubaneswar, the state capital. Prominent individuals such as state Congress president Sarat Pattanayak, AICC in-charge of Odisha Ajoy Kumar, and previous presidents Jaydev Jena and Prasad Harichandan led the protestors, who were headed towards the state government’s headquarters, the Odisha Secretariat.
They were stopped in their tracks, nevertheless, by police officers stationed at Lower PMG, which is close to the secretariat. As the demonstrators tried to breach the police barrier to carry on with their march, a standoff resulted. The cops detained the demonstrators with force after they attempted to scale the barricade. The state Congress president was among the party officials and workers who were arrested and put into a van. Later, they were set free.
This episode serves as a reminder of the continuous political competition in Odisha between the BJD and the Congress party. Due to the BJD’s increasing influence, the Congress party, which has historically had a significant presence in the state, has faced difficulties recently.
The source that is given does not address the precise justifications for the Congress party’s charges of “misrule”. They do, however, probably include a range of topics about the BJD government’s accomplishments, such as social welfare, economic growth, or purported corruption.
For authorities, striking a balance between upholding public order and the right to peaceful protest is a difficult task. While protests give people and organizations a platform to voice their complaints and bring attention to causes they care about, maintaining public safety and avoiding interruptions to vital services are also critical factors to take into account.
It is unclear how this demonstration would affect Odisha’s political climate in the long run. It might work to energize the Congress party’s base of support and exert pressure on the BJD government to resolve the issues brought up by the demonstrators. On the other hand, there’s a chance that the tragedy would exacerbate political unrest within the state.
The Congress workers’ protest march in Odisha and the police’s subsequent detention of them serve as a stark reminder of the state’s ongoing political rivalry. The episode highlights the intricate relationship between the freedom to protest and the requirement to uphold public order, even though the precise facts of the complaints against the BJD government are not disclosed. In the upcoming days and weeks, likely, the long-term effects of this event on the political landscape of the state will likely become apparent.
