BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday faced black-flag demonstration, staged by Youth Congress activists in Cuttack, over the Pipili ‘gangrape’ issue, on the eve of hitting the campaign trail for panchayat polls. They demonstrated at Gopalpur, Sikharpur and Press Chhak while the Chief Minister was on his way to Cuttack to attend a national seminar on ‘Judiciary, Ethics and Justice Delivery in India’, organised by the National Law University. The demonstrators demanded resignation of the Chief Minister reasoning that he holds the Home portfolio and is primarily responsible for the law and order situation in the State. The Chief Minister can’t absolve himself of all the responsibility by asking Agriculture minister Pradeep Maharathy to resign on moral grounds, president of Cuttack parliamentary constituency Youth Congress Santosh Bal said. Stating that the Crime Branch probe will not be able to ferret out the truth as BJD leaders are ‘involved’, he said the judicial probe will be a prolonged affair. Bal reiterated the Congress’ demand for a CBI probe into the incident. Over 50 activists, including 20 women, were rounded up by police following the demonstration. They were released after the Chief Minister left Cuttack.BJD TO USE CHOPPERS: Naveen is expected to launch his panchayat poll campaign from Tangi in Khurda district from Sunday. He will address eight public meetings. The BJD has intimated the SEC that helicopters will be used by the party during campaigning. Sources said despite the resignation of Maharathy, Naveen is likely to face protests at other places too during the campaign. The Congress has announced that it would continue with the protests till the Chief Minister stepped down on moral grounds.
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