Bhubaneswar, Feb 3 (PTI): The Opposition Congress has strongly demanded the immediate release of eight activists from the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), including Odisha unit president Udit Pradhan, who were arrested for showing a black flag to Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on January 31.
A delegation from the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) visited the detained activists at Jharpada jail, following which senior Congress leader Jayadev Jena held a press conference condemning the arrests.
Jena criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government, stating, "The NSUI members were peacefully demonstrating in a democratic manner. However, the BJP government used its police force to arrest them and put them behind bars, which goes against the very essence of our democratic values."
He emphasized that the protesters neither resorted to violence nor used any projectiles such as stones, eggs, or tomatoes. Instead, they merely showed a black flag in dissent against Bhagwat, who recently sparked controversy with his remarks on India's independence. On the first anniversary of the Ram Temple's consecration, Bhagwat suggested that the occasion should be observed as “Pratishtha Dwadashi”, marking the country’s “true independence” after centuries of foreign rule, a statement that Jena claimed was disrespectful to India’s freedom fighters.
"The student leaders were protesting to uphold the voices of secular-minded youth, yet the BJP government has attempted to stifle democracy by imprisoning them," Jena stated.
The Congress party has urged the BJP-led administration to withdraw the charges against the arrested NSUI activists and facilitate their release. Jena warned that failure to do so would lead to widespread protests across Odisha, as the Congress party is prepared to escalate its fight for justice.
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