CM says people know who are responsible for rally clash

Bhubaneswar: Embarrassed over Odisha Governor M C Bhandare's direction for a Lokpal probe into the clash at a recent Congress rally without consulting the state government, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday said the people know who were responsible for the incident.

"About the Lokpal inquiry, I think everyone is well aware of who were responsible for the violence at the meeting that took place on the 6th of this month," Patnaik told reporters a day after Bhandare ordered a Lokpal probe into the clash.

This was for the first time that Bhandare has directed the Lokpal to probe the clash by invoking section 18 of the Lokpal Act and directly referred the matter for investigation.The governor informed the state government by issuing a letter to the Chief Minister about his action.

The opposition Congress welcomed the Governor's decision."They (government) held us responsible. Now we are hopeful that truth will prevail," said AICC in-charge of Odisha Jagdish Tytler.

Senior Congress leaders have been accusing the police of mounting an attack on party demonstrators in the midst of their meeting when some of them tried to break the cordon and proceed towards the state assembly as part of their announced plan to gherao the building.

The police have registered cases against senior Congress leaders including Jagdish Tytler and OPCC President Niranjan Patnaik holding them responsible for the clash where above 260 people including 60 security personnel were injured.A woman police constable was assaulted and allegedly molested by the mob at the rally.