Mahila Congress condemns police firing on women protestors

All India Mahila Congress president Sobha Ojha today made a scathing criticism of the Naveen Patnaik government for allegedly using the police force to open fire at women who were protesting against spread of liquor consumption in their localities.
Referring to last year's alleged police firing on women protestors at Namtara in Kendrapada district, Ojha said atrocities against women are continuously increasing in Odisha under the BJD rule. She said this while addressing a massive gathering of Congress activists, who submitted a memorandum here to the local Revenue Divisional Commissioner.
Expressing concern as to how the spread of liquor has ruined several families in the state, the women Congress activists, led by Ojha, submitted a seven-point memorandum of demand to the RDC urging him to work towards improving the condition of women. The Congress programme was part of its observation of last week's International Women's Day.

The memorandum demanded complete ban on liquor sale in the state, justice for the women protestors, who were injured in police firing last year at Namtara. It also called for rectifying all anomalies of ration card distribution under National Food Security Act and launching of special schemes to improve the socio-economic conditions of women in Odisha.
(Reopens CAL31)
Talking about Bengalee-speaking people, Kumar said those, who opted to remain in Bihar even after bifurcation of Bengal in 1912, may be termed as Bengalee because of their Bangla language, but they are no less Biharis than others.

Kumar heaped praise on Asian Development Research Institute (ADRI) Member Secretary Shaibal Gupta who is working to create Bihari sub-nationalism.

Kumar said the state government recognises not only religious minorities but also gives recognition to linguisitic minorities.
On the Bengalee Association's demand, the CM announced the setting up of a special cell in minority welfare department to hear and redress the grievances of linguistic minorities.
Kumar also announced that students belonging to linguistic minority would also be entitled to get Rs 10,000 as incentive if they pass matriculation with first division. At present, students of minority communities get the incentive.
Bihar Bengalee Association President Capt Dilip Kumar Sinha presented a memento and a shawl to the Chief Minister on the occasion.

Prominent among those who attended the function were Minority Commission chairman Mohammad Salam, noted Patna high court senior advocate Shyama Prasad Mukherjee.