CPI(M) activists court arrest during ‘jail bharo' in Orissa

CPI (M) activists were taken to jail during the ‘jail bharo' movement of the party held in the Berhampur city in Orissa on Saturday. It was the third and final day of ‘jail bharo' movement of the party in Ganjam, the home district of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to protest against anti-people and anti-labour policies of both the State and Central governments.

The leaders who got themselves jailed included the State secretariat member of the CPI (M) Ali Kishore Patnaik, city secretary of the party Basant Nanda, district committee members Aswini Sahu and Narasingha Sahu. During similar agitations 36 CPI (M) members had jailed themselves in Bhanjanagar and 64 party activists had been jailed in Chatrapur during past two days.

According to the decision none of the arrested persons would try for their bail.

Around 1,000 CPI (M) activists including women took out a rally in the city that started from Sahid Laxman Nayak community hall and culminated at local sub-collector's office.

There they preferred to break law and courted arrest. But at the request of the administration and the police the number of persons to be arrested and taken to jail was reduced, said Mr. Patnaik.

According to Mr. Patnaik respective sub-collectors in Bhanjanagar and Chatrapur had also made similar requests.

“It proves that such peaceful ‘satyagraha and jail bharo' which were weapon against Britishers before independence can now also be used to pressurise any government,” Mr. Patnaik said.

If such ‘jail bharo' movement continues and people come out in large numbers to go to jail then it will surely become a headache for the government, he added.

Before being transported to Berhampur circle jail, Mr. Patnaik said with the success of this recent movement it has been decided to hold similar ‘jail bharo' agitations in all blocks and tehsil headquarters of the district against wrong policies of the government.

(Courtesy : The hindu)