Jabalpur: Congress leaders on Sunday took out a silent march in Madhya Pradesh’s Jabalpur to protest the vandalisation of their city office. The party has blamed Bajrang Dal for the vandalism.
The Congress has been facing backlash from BJP and right-wing outfits for bracketing Bajrang Dal with the Popular Front of India (PFI) in its manifesto for the May 10 Karnataka polls.
The party leaders started from Shahid Smarak and ended their protest at the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Town Hall, said a Congress functionary.
“Congressmen are Gandhians. We are not going to storm their office. We are going to do a peaceful protest till 200-odd Bajrang Dal men, some of them history-sheeters, are not arrested,” mayor and city Congress president Jagat Bahadur Singh told PTI.
The Congress has also demanded action against two inspectors from Kotwali and Lordganj police stations. These inspectors were deputed at the “Bajrang Dal’s protest site but were conspicuous by their absence”, Singh said.
After the Congress’ office in the Baldeo Bagh area was vandalised on Thursday, the Bajrang Dal had claimed that it was involved in the act.
Two days ago, police said that they had arrested 10 persons, including prime accused Sumit Singh Thakur who is the “vibhag prachar pramukh” of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). Bajrang Dal is the youth wing of the VHP.
Earlier, a police official had said that they had booked 25 people on the basis of video footage and a complaint for rampaging through the Congress city office.
Additional Superintendent of Police Priyanka Shukla could not be reached contacted despite repeated attempts to know how many people have been arrested till date.
The protesting Congress workers included Rajya Sabha member Vivek Tankha and MLAs Tarun Bhanot, Sanjay Yadav, and Lakhan Gangoria.
Ramallah: The Israeli army has handed over the bodies of three Palestinians who were killed by Israeli soldiers more than 50 days ago to the Palestinian side, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said in a statement.
In coordination with the Palestinian liaison office of security coordination with Israel, the Israeli army on Friday handed the bodies over to the Palestinian side at an Israeli army checkpoint near the northern West Bank city of Nablus, Xinhua news agency reported, citing the statement.
The Palestinian WAFA news agency identified the victims as Odai Shami, Jihad Shami, and Mohammad Dabik, who were killed by Israeli soldiers on March 12 while they were in a car close to the Israeli military checkpoint of Sarra near Nablus. Their bodies were taken away by the Israeli soldiers ever since.
According to statistics released by the Palestinian Authority in November last year, Israel is withholding the bodies of more than 110 Palestinians killed by Israeli soldiers since 2015, including 10 minors, eight prisoners, and three women.
The Palestinian Authority also said 256 Palestinians who have been killed in the conflicts with Israel since 1967 were buried at a cemetery in northern Israel.
In the past few months, the Israeli army has carried out daily raids on Palestinian towns, villages, and refugee camps, mainly in the northern West Bank. Israelis claim that they want to arrest Palestinian militants wanted by Israeli security forces.
According to official Palestinian figures, the tension between Israelis and the Palestinians has killed more than 100 Palestinians since January. Meanwhile, Israeli sources said that 19 Israelis were killed in attacks carried out by Palestinians in Israel and the West Bank.
New Delhi: The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) on Friday held a candle-light march here in support of the protesting wrestlers at the Jantar Mantar, criticising the BJP-led government at the Centre.
“Beti Bachao slogan is just hypocrisy. The behaviour with the women players of the country at Jantar Mantar is very shameful. In fact, the BJP has never shied away from torturing the daughters of India,” IYC president Srinivas B.V. said.
Hundreds of IYC activists took out a candle march to demand justice for the pride of the country’s women wrestlers. However, Delhi Police stopped them near their office.
IYC national in-charge and AICC joint secretary Krishna Allavaru also slammed the government over the alleged manhandling of the protesting wrestlers at Jantar Mantar.
“What has happened to women sportspersons at Jantar Mantar is sad. The country is deeply saddened to see the tears of women sportspersons who have brought medals for the country and their families with their hard work and dedication. BJP has a history of protecting perpetrators and questioning victims,” he said.
Allavaru also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi clicks photographs when these wrestlers win medals “but now he is forcing them to cry”.
“For the last 14 days, the daughters of the country have been crying and suffering, but the government is silent.”
He further said that the Congress stands firmly with the daughters of the country and will stand with them till the last breath.
He also demanded BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, who is also the President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), be arrested by the Delhi Police so that a fair investigation could be conducted.
New Delhi: Meta said that it took down over 38.4 million pieces of content across 13 policies for Facebook and over 4.61 million pieces of content across 12 policies for Instagram in March in India.
Between March 1-31, Facebook received 7,193 reports through the Indian grievance mechanism, and said that it provided tools for users to resolve their issues in 1,903 cases.
These include pre-established channels to report content for specific violations, self-remediation flows where they can download their data, avenues to address account hacked issues etc, said Meta in its monthly report in compliance with the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
“Of the other 5,290 reports where specialised review was needed, we reviewed content as per our policies, and we took action on 1,300 reports in total. The remaining 3,990 reports were reviewed but may not have been actioned,” Meta added.
On Instagram, the company received 9,226 reports through the Indian grievance mechanism.
“Of these, we provided tools for users to resolve their issues in 4,280 cases,” it informed.
Of the other 4,946 reports where specialised review was needed, Meta reviewed content and took action on 1,656 reports in total.
The remaining 3,290 reports on Instagram were reviewed but may not have been actioned.
Under the new IT Rules 2021, big digital and social media platforms, with more than 5 million users, have to publish monthly compliance reports.
“We measure the number of pieces of content (such as posts, photos, videos or comments) we take action on for going against our standards. Taking action could include removing a piece of content from Facebook or Instagram or covering photos or videos that may be disturbing to some audiences with a warning,” said Meta.
Attacks on Muslims continued well into the month of March in India, as violence against minorities went on unabated. March was already stained with more lynchings and the rise of cow vigilantes like Monu Manesar, Puneeth Karehalli and Radha Semwal Dhoni to name a few.
As Ramzan began in March, it also also welcomed Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanthi, both Hindu festivals sprinkled with hate speech and objection over namaz offerings in different places. The violence, which took place last year as well, created an atmosphere of anarchy and unrest amongst the minority community in non-BJP ruled states such as Bihar and West Bengal.
This article is a part of Siasat.com’s hate-crime tracker which chronicles atrocities against Muslims in India. The tracker chronicles everything from verbal discrimination, assault and lynching/murder each month of the year, and a report will be published.
March 2: A Mazar (Muslim shrine) was demolished by right-wing worker Radha Semwal Dhoni and her colleagues claiming it was built on state land. The incident happened in Uttarakhand. A video has emerged where two men are seen breaking the shrine with hammers.
Radha Semwal Dhoni with Hindutva priest Narsinghanand Saraswati
March 9: A 47-year-old Muslim man was lynched by a Hindu mob who accused him and his nephew of carrying beef. The incident happened in Rasulpur of Chhapra district, Bihar on March 7.
In a press release, police said that three people have been arrested and the hunt is on for the remaining accused. According to Maktoob Media, the deceased Naseeb Qureshi and his nephew Firoz Qureshi were returning home when they were attacked by a mob of 10-15 people.
While Qureshi was brutally beaten with sticks and sharp weapons, his nephew managed to escape. However, when he approached the police to rescue his uncle, he received callous behaviour.
March 14: Fifteen people were detained by the police on Tuesday after alleged stone pelting was reported on a mosque, an Urdu medium school and a few Muslim houses during a Hindu bike rally to unveil the statue of Sangolli Rayanna in Haveri district, Karnataka. Reports suggest that a similar rally was carried out and a few members of the Muslim community were alleged to have pelted stones.
The mob allegedly also threatened the children going to the school and pelted stones at the nearby mosque, and the nearby Urdu school was also pelted with stones.
March 15: A case was registered in Maharashtra’s Ahmednagar against suspended BJP MLA from Telangana T Raja Singh after a video of his vitriolic speech targeting Muslims went viral on social media.
Suspended Telangana BJP MLA T Raja Singh
“Whoever speaks against Hindus, we will not spare them,” Singh said to a rousing saffron crowd comprising mostly youth in Rahta tehsil. “In our Hindu Rashtra you won’t even get a loudspeaker to do what you do five times a day,” he said in an apparent reference to Muslims offering prayers.
March 17: Two meat vendors were allegedly beaten up and robbed by seven men, including three Delhi Police personnel, in east Delhi’s Shahdara, a senior officer said. The incident took place in the Anand Vihar area when the two meat vendors were travelling in their car and hit a scooter. The accused, alleged to be ‘gau rakshaks’, urinated on the victims’ faces and threatened to kill them, the police said.
March 19: Members of a right-wing group, Hindu Jan Garjana Morcha, attacked a women’s public washroom, among other acts of violence in an attempt to remove the name ‘Aurangabad’ from its board.
According to reports, the incident took place during a march organised by the Sakal Hindu Ekatrikaran Samiti. The rally witnessed speeches by the editor-in-chief of Sudarshan News Suresh Chavhanke who used derogatory terms to address Muslims whilst slamming Aurangzeb.
“There is no body of Arungzeb in his grave, Marahatas have done with him what America did with Osama bin Laden,” claimed Chavhanke challenging history writers to dig up his grave.
March 25: Workers of the right-wing organisation Bajrang Dal allegedly assaulted a Muslim man who was with his Hindu female friend at a park in Ujjain, Madhya Pradesh. They accused him of promoting ‘Love Jihad’.
A video went viral on social media platforms wherein the Hindutva members can be seen questioning the young man while the girl pleads with them to let go.
March 27: After reports of a young Muslim man being arrested by the Vadgaon police in Maharashtra emerged, Hindutva groups took out a rally in Sawarde village demanding the accused’s family be exiled.
According to a local Marathi news Lokmat, the accused – Mohammed Momim – had put up a Whatsapp status on Mughal ruler Aurangzeb in reference to the recent name change of the city of Aurangabad.
Disturbing:-
A Muslim man in Kolhapur had kept a video as his WhatsApp status.
That video praised Aurangzeb.
The police arrested him and charged him for hurting religious sentiments.
Mohammed Momim was finally arrested by the police under Section 295 (Injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) of the Indian Penal Code.
However, matters did not end here. Hindutva organisations took out a bike rally demanding the Sarpanch of the village declare Momim’s family as outcasts. They wanted the family to leave the village for good.
March 27: A group of right-wing organisation men objected to the offering of Taraweeh prayers by some Muslims in Lajpat Nagar of Moradabad district, Uttar Pradesh.
Rashtriya Bajrang Dal men, led by its state president Rohan Saxena, barged into the house of one Zakir Hussain who was praying along with his family. Saxena alleged this was creating an atmosphere of panic nearby. A notice was issued to one Zakir Hussain and nine others.
Notice to Zakir Hussain & 9 others for reading Namaz at Hussain’s godown. Notice says they might disturb peace and asks why shouldn’t they execute bonds with Rs. 5 lakh surety. So reading namaz at private property disturbs peace,but those protesting against it are ensuring peace. pic.twitter.com/DsdzsvgKJ8
March 27: Leaders from the ruling BJP delivered an Islamophobic speech in full swing at the Digital Hindu Conclave held on March 18.
BJP leader Kapil Mishra, Kajal Shingala aka Kajal Hindusthani and far-right author Kshitij Patukale compared minorities, particularly those belonging to the Muslim community, to snakes. She called for violence, as the only way to attain Akhand Bharat besides raising the topic of ‘Love Jihad.’
Kajal Shingala said that there can never be brotherhood between Hindus and Muslims and called out those who support secularism and peace between the two communities as a “sinking ship”.
BJP leader Kapil Mishra spoke about ‘Love Jihad’. Taking the recent murder of Shraddha Walker, whose live-in partner Aftab Poonawala stored her chopped body in a refrigerator, he said, “There will come a day when we will see ads like keep fruits in the fridge, not ‘Shraddha’.”
March 28: Amid the ongoing Hindu festival of Chaitra Navratri, cow vigilantes and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders forcibly shut down meat shops in several localities.
Videos of BJP leader Ravindra Singh on rounds in the Muslim locality Mandawali Fazalpur in Vinod Nagar of West Delhi surfaced on social media. He demanded local meat traders shut down all nine days of the Hindu festival Navratri which commenced on March 22 (Pratipada Tithi) and ended on March 30 (Navami Tithi).
Chicken shops in the Muslim locality of Mandawali Fazalpur in Vinod Nagar West, Delhi, have been shut down by BJP leader Ravindra Singh in honour of Navratri. pic.twitter.com/OZcIj5cfRj
March 30: A mob of more than 500 persons allegedly attacked policemen in Maharashtra’s Aurangabad wherein a few young men belonging to the Hindu and Muslim communities clashed, police said.
The incident took place in Kiradpura which has a renowned Ram Temple. People belonging to both communities shouted slogans followed by stone pelting at each other.
#Maharashtra | A clash broke out between two groups in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar’s #Kiradpura area
Stones were pelted, some private & police vehicles were set on fire. Police used force to disperse the people and now the situation is peaceful. Police will take strict action… pic.twitter.com/vVoQK2chZk
March 30: Stones were hurled at a Ram Navami procession in the Fatehpura area of Gujarat’s Vadodara city. While some vehicles got damaged, no one was reported injured. The procession passed along its planned route under police protection.
Gujarat | Stone-pelting happened today in Vadodara during Rama Navami Shoba Yatra. As per the police, the situation is under control & peace is prevailing in the affected area. pic.twitter.com/5BGMpxivBy
March 30: The Tamil Nadu Police arrested seven persons including a juvenile for allegedly forcing a woman to remove her hijab at the Vellore Fort Complex in Tamil Nadu.
The woman had gone to the fort along with her friend when she was surrounded by the men who demanded her to remover the hijab. One of them shot the incident on a phone and uploaded it on social media platforms which went viral.
March 30: The Karnataka police lathi-charged Bajrang Dal and Hindu activists when their protest against the recital of the Quran at a historical Hindu religious fair turned violent in Beluru town.
The Hindu organisations had given a bandh call in Beluru town. The situation turned volatile when a Muslim young man raised the slogan “Quran Zindabad” amid the protest.
March 31: After Jalgaon and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Hindu and Muslim groups clashed in the minority-dominated Malvani area of the Malad west suburb during a Ram Navami procession after locals objected to loud DJ music played during the Hindu religious procession. Enraged, some of the participants allegedly indulged in pelting stones, sparking panic.
Location: Malad, Mumbai
People who were part of a Ram Navami rally stopped outside a mosque in Malwani and raised provocative slogans, causing tension in the area. Police resorted to lathicharge to bring the situation under control. pic.twitter.com/5I6GGgn0HE
New Delhi: Aadhaar authentication transactions have climbed to 2.31 billion in March 2023, against 2.26 billion authentication transactions recorded in February 2023, according to IT Ministry data.
Also, Aadhaar-enabled e-KYC rose by 16 per cent as 21.47 million Aadhaars were updated successfully in March 2023.
While a majority of the authentications transaction numbers were carried out by using biometric fingerprint, it is followed by demographic and OTP authentications, official sources said.
Adoption of e-KYC has also significantly reduced customer acquisition cost of entities like financial institutions, telecom service providers and others, they added.
The cumulative number of Aadhaar e-KYC transactions so far has gone past 14.7 billion till the end of March 2023.
During the month of March, more than 21.47 million Aadhaars were updated following requests from the residents as against 16.8 million such updates in February 2023.
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Police on Sunday conducted a flag march and patrolled various districts in the state after mafia-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf were shot dead in Prayagraj.
While speaking to ANI, the Mau Superintendent of Police Avinash Pandey said,” We are keeping vigil. After looking at the sensitivity of the situation in the district we are on alert. We are talking to the public to maintain peace”.
In the aftermath of the incident, UP Police also conducted a flag march in Lucknow’s Husainabad.
Police were also seen patrolling in Mathura.
According to UP police officials, security has been beefed up in various districts after the incident. Police also conducted a patrol in Ayodhya, officials informed.
Uttar Pradesh Government on Sunday imposed Section 144 of CrPC in all the districts, in the aftermath of Atiq Ahmed, Ashraf Ahmed being shot dead in Prayagraj, officials informed.
“After the simultaneous killing of mafia Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf, police will be deployed in Prayagraj, especially the old areas of the city,” police officials informed.
UP Police officials also mentioned that a Rapid Action force is being deployed in the Prayagraj to maintain high security.
In view of the tension, we have increased vigilance,” the official said.
“Rapid Action Force has been called. Police are arranging security by dividing Prayagraj city into several zones,” he added.
Days after Atiq Ahmed’s son Asad was killed in an encounter in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi, the mafia-turned-politician and his brother Ashraf Ahmed were killed on Saturday while being taken for a medical in Prayagraj.
Atiq Ahmed was accused in the 2005 BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case and also in the Umesh Pal murder case which happened in February this year.
UP Police so far has arrested a total of 3 shooters in this incident.
In the aftermath of the incident, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter.
“CM Yogi immediately called a high-level meeting and ordered a high-level inquiry into the whole matter. Chief Minister also gave instructions for the formation of a three-member Judicial Commission (Judicial Inquiry Commission) in the matter,” officials said.
Reacting sharply to the incident, AIMIM Chief Asaduddin Owaisi said that this incident is a perfect example of the Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi’s failure on law and order system in the state.
Asaduddin Owaisi took to Twitter and said,” Atiq and his brother were in police custody. He was handcuffed. JSR slogans were also raised. The killing of both is the failure of Yogi’s law and order system. Those celebrating encounter Raj are also responsible for this murder”.
Hyderabad: Tensions prevailed at the Kakatiya University as Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) protested at the varsity gate ahead of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ‘Nirudyoga March’ on Saturday.
Effigy of prime minister Narendra Modi was allegedly burned by the BRS party members. In a video shared on Twitter, some people, identified as associated with the BRS were seen trying to shred the posters of BJP while the security personnel were seen pulling them away.
To bring the situation under control, Kakatiya University police took 11 persons into preventive custody and sent them to Dharmasagar Police Station.
Upon suspicion that Hanamkonda police commissionerate would be encircled by the BJP party workers, the police have reportedly tightened the security.
Bharatiya Janata Party’s Telangana unit chief Bandi Sanjay will hold a protest march against “unemployment” in the state on Saturday, the party said.
BJP Spokesperson NV Subhash told ANI, that the march is scheduled to start from Kakatiya University to Ambedkar Statue and will be joined by people from different walks of life.
Subash alleged that Telangana State Public Service Commission papers had been leaked by the people who are close to state minister KT Rama Rao and the chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, claiming that 30 lakh job aspirants are waiting to get a job in the state.
“Their dreams have been shattered. We have approached the court and demanded immediate action to be taken against Rao. A sitting high court judge should be appointed to investigate the scam. Students who have appeared for the exam should be compensated,” the BJP leader said.
“There will be many intellectuals who are going to join the Nirudyoga March from Warangal. Job aspirants will also be joining,” he said, adding they have got police permission for the same.
The next leg of his march will be from Mehboobnagar on April 21 followed by Khammam, for which the dates are still being finalised, the BJP said.
“I will be doing 10 rallies across the state and then conclude with a mega rally in Hyderabad,” Bandi Sanjay told ANI earlier.
“There are three demands. IT Minister KT Rama Rao should resign following the paper leak. We demand an inquiry into this by a sitting High Court judge and compensation of Rs 1 lakh for all the students affected by the leak,” Sanjay further elaborated.
Hyderabad: Tensions prevailed at the Kakatiya University as Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) workers protested at the varsity gate ahead of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s ‘Nirudyoga March’ on Saturday.
Effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was allegedly burned by BRS cadres. In a video shared on Twitter, the BRS workers tried shredding the posters of BJP while security personnel pulled them away.
Demanding various vacant government posts be filled by the Centre, the BRS cadres reportedly warned BJP workers to stop the march claiming that the latter had no right to conduct the ‘Nirudyoga March’.
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Speaking to Siasat.com, police confirmed that 11 BRS workers were taken into preventive custody. Security has been tightened around the Hanamkonda police commissionerate as they suspect of nefarious activities by the saffron party.
Ahead of #BJP unemployment march in Hanumakonda, #BRS followers staged a protest against #BJP Party & tried to lit #BJP posters on fire. Police on spot took them into preventive custody & shifted to local PS. #Telanganapic.twitter.com/pLNO4etRWz
Earlier in the day, the BJP Telangana unit president Bandi Sanjay held a protest march against “unemployment” in the state.
Telangana BJP spokesperson N VSubash alleged that Telangana State Public Service Commission (TPSC) papers had been leaked by the people who are close to state IT minister K T Rama Rao and chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, claiming that 30 lakh job aspirants are waiting to get a job in the state.
“Their dreams have been shattered. We have approached the court and demanded immediate action to be taken against Rao. A sitting high court judge should be appointed to investigate the scam. Students who have appeared for the exam should be compensated,” the BJP leader told ANI.
“There will be many intellectuals who are going to join the Nirudyoga March from Warangal. Job aspirants will also be joining,” he said, adding they have got police permission for the same.
The next leg of his march will be from Mehboobnagar on April 21 followed by Khammam, for which the dates are still being finalised, the BJP said.
“I will be doing 10 rallies across the state and then conclude with a mega rally in Hyderabad,” Bandi Sanjay told ANI earlier.
“There are three demands. IT Minister KT Rama Rao should resign following the paper leak. We demand an inquiry into this by a sitting High Court judge and compensation of Rs 1 lakh for all the students affected by the leak,” Sanjay further elaborated.
(With inputs from ANI)
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Sambalpur: The security personnel conducted a flag march on Thursday in Odisha’s violence-hit Sambalpur city, where internet services were suspended and security tightened as the district administration geared up to organise a peaceful Hanuman Jayanti.
District collector Ananya Das, north central range IG Brijesh Ray, SP B Gangadhar along with security personnel conducted the flag march to instill confidence among the residents, who have restricted themselves indoors since Wednesday’s violence during a bike rally held ahead of the Hanuman Jayanti on Maha Bishuba Sankranti on April 14.
Ten police personnel and some civilians were injured in the clash between two communities while the bike rally was passing through a locality in the city on Wednesday.
Violence erupted on Wednesday evening when stones were allegedly thrown at the bike rally taken out to celebrate the Hanuman Jayanti.
The bike rally and a ritual Jhanda Sthapana’ are organised every year prior to Hanuman Jayanti in the western Odisha city.
During the clash, some shops and several two-wheelers were set on fire while a number of cars were damaged.
The police have arrested 26 people so far and sent them to jail on the charge of rioting, while petrol bombs and swords were recovered from the houses of some persons in the city. Most of the localities wore a deserted look on Thursday as the majority of the shops remained closed.
Fresh violence was reported from a place in Dhanupali police station jurisdiction where two people were stabbed, police said. Das said the administration has made elaborate security arrangements for Hanuman Jayanti and more force will deployed if required.
She convened a peace committee meeting, which was attended by representatives from both communities. “All those who attended the peace committee meeting have assured to cooperate to organize a peaceful Hanuman Jayanti tomorrow,” the collector said.
Sambalpur superintendent of police, B Gangadhar said that 43 people were detained and 26 others booked so far.
The administration clamped prohibitory order under section 144 CrPC in areas under Town, Dhanupali, Khetrajpur, Ainthapali, Bareipali and Sadar police stations in Sambalpur city.
Thirty police platoons were deployed in the area to stall any further attempts to create trouble, he said.
Asked if the violence in Sambalpur city was part of a conspiracy, Gangadhar said, “We think it is a sporadic incident. Investigation is on and the situation is now under control.”
The prohibitory order was also promulgated at Jeypore town in Koraput district from 3 pm to 9 pm on Thursday.
The order, which prohibits meetings and gathering of people, will continue till April 20, a senior official of the Koraput district administration said.
The Odisha government suspended internet services in Sambalpur district for 48 hours from 10 a m Thursday to check the spread of rumours which could incite fresh communal passion after Wednesday’s Hanuman Jayanti procession turned violent.
“The situation is critical and miscreants are circulating false and inflammatory messages through the social media to disturb public order in Sambalpur district,” the notice issued by additional chief secretary of the home department, D K Singh said.
Meanwhile, the Hanuman Jayanti Coordination Committee, which organises the Hanuman Jayanti every year, has given a 36-hour-bandh call from 3 pm on Thursday and urged all to celebrate the festival.
Committee president Damodar Kar was seriously injured and is undergoing treatment at a hospital in the city.
Senior BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said “governance deficit” was responsible for the violence in Sambalpur, the heart of western Odisha, and came down heavily on the BJD government for failing to maintain law and order in the state.
“It was a clear intelligence failure and the police could not guess the possibilities,” said BJP state president Manmohan Samal. Blaming the state government for the violence in which many innocent people were attacked and their properties lost, he said the state government should move the Centre and seek deployment of central forces if it is unable to handle the situation.
