Odisha is simmering after the abusive Facebook responses on Lord Ram and Sita were put by youths allegedly belonging to another community during the Ramnavmi.
The protests have been going on since Thursday with VHP and Bajrang Dal demanding that 3 youth be booked for writing objectionable words on Lord Ram and Devi Sita on the Facebook wall of Ajit Kumar Padhihari who is a Bajrang Dal activist. Meanwhile, Asaduddin Owaisi has called for calm.
Bhadrak in Odisha very tense after communal riots took place hope peace prevails & normalcy restored @Naveen_Odisha need more police force
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) April 7, 2017
Padhihari allegedly wrote Jai Shri Ram on the occasion of Ramnavmi to which these three minority youth made abusive responses.
There were reports of protests still going on after which Section 144 was imposed in Bhadrak and it would remain in place till 8 am tomorrow, ANI news agency reported.
Central forces have also been rushed to Odisha’s Bhadrak due to protests over derogatory Facebook post against Lord Ram. Mahavar Vaish Samaj has suffered losses in these times but they will have to wait for the storm to blow over.
I sincerely appeal to all in Bhadrak for peace & harmony; have directed stringent action against any attempt to disrupt peace.
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) April 7, 2017
Property damage and scuffles have been reported and social media is burning with many allegations and counter-allegations. Some believe that these acts during religious festivals are being made deliberately in Odisha which has been peaceful all along.
35 platoons of Police have been deployed, 10 people have been detained while Section 144 has been slapped on Dhamnagar and Basudevpur also.
It is important to state that a peace meeting was first called yesterday but it failed to bring out any resolution following which both the parties indulged in violence.
Bhadrak had last seen a riot in March 1991 on Ramnavami.
Appeal all citizens of Bhadrak to stay calm.Updated Union HM on situation & asked CM Odisha to prevail over situation: D Pradhan, Union Min pic.twitter.com/m3oaH0C9LB
— ANI (@ANI_news) April 8, 2017
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