Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam was injured during a protest at the Odisha assembly on Tuesday, after security personnel 'abruptly closed' the lobby door. Kadam was demonstrating against the suspension of 12 Congress MLAs when the incident occurred.
Following the incident, Congress workers continued their protests outside the Congress Bhampoline Bhawan in Bhubaneswar.
"I went near the door as the marshals were not allowing our MLA Mangu Khilla to go to the washroom. All of a sudden, a marshal shut the door of the lobby, injuring my finger," Kadam told PTI over phone.
As the news spread, a group of Congress leaders, led by OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das, rushed to the assembly.
The group, which also included former Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra and three former OPCC presidents, were denied permission to enter the assembly premises, the sources told PTI.
Bhubaneswar DCP Jagmohan Meena said, "Prohibition orders under section 163 of the BNS have been imposed in front of the assembly building. As a preventive measure, police have picked up some Congress activists to maintain law and order.
However Mishra, asserted that it is "completely illegal" to deny entry of former MLAs inside the House.
He also said that he tried to contact Speaker Surama Padhy over phone from the assembly gate, but she could not be reached.
Condemning the police action, Das said, “They have violated laws by denying entry to former MLAs. We were not even allowed to see our legislators sitting on dharna inside the House.”
Former OPCC president Jaydev Jena claimed that the Congress MLAs were assaulted by the marshals and BJP leaders.
