Odisha Congress workers protest against ED summon to Rahul Gandhi

Bhubaneswar, June 13 Odisha Congress workers led by state president Sarat Pattanayak on Monday staged a protest outside the ED office in Bhubaneswar as the central agency questioned their leader Rahul Gandhi in Delhi in connection with the National Herald case.

The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) activists marched to the agency's office at Nayapalli area from the CRP square and sat on a dharana outside the ED office.

Many leaders, including Congress MLA from Jatni Suresh Routray, legislative party leader Narasingha Mishra and former state Congress president Niranjan Patnaik participated in the protest.

The Congress leaders alleged that the ED action is a political vendetta of the BJP-led Central government against the Gandhi family.

Stating that the move of the BJP government is completely unconstitutional, Pattanayak alleged that the BJP government is misusing its power, which is not a good sign for a democracy.

"This revengeful attitude is not good for a democratic country. Conspiracy was made against the Gandhi family thinking all the Congress workers in the country will be demoralised and they will achieve a Congress-mukt Bharat," he said.

"However, their attempts will never be fruitful. Congress workers across the country, including in Odisha, strongly stand behind Rahul Gandhi," Pattanayak said.

"BJP can't stop Shri @RahulGandhi and @INCIndia from raising people's voices. The misuse of ED and other institutions will not work because #IndiaWithRahulGandhi," tweeted Niranjan Patnaik.

The Congress leaders demanded that the ED should immediately withdraw the summons issued to the Gandhi family.