TNI Bureau: Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) President Bhakta Charan Das called upon people to rise against injustice and hold the government accountable, while addressing a meeting at Tihidi in Bhadrak district during the third day of the “Gandhi Pathe Odisha Padyatra.”

The padyatra covered a 10 km stretch from Charibatia to Tihidi, retracing the path once walked by Mahatma Gandhi. Addressing the gathering, Das said the march aims to revive Gandhian values of non-violence, truth and justice and to mobilize people against what he described as the government’s “anti-people” policies.

He expressed concern over women’s safety in the state, claiming that over 40,000 cases of atrocities against women, including around 3,000 rape cases, have occurred. He questioned whether people of Bhadrak, Basudevpur and Tihidi—regions with a strong legacy in the freedom movement—could remain silent in such a situation.

Highlighting farmers’ issues, Das alleged irregularities in paddy procurement, including deductions and distress sales, and claimed that farmers are not receiving fair prices despite the government’s MSP announcements. He also criticized the state’s power policy, pointing out that despite Odisha being a major coal producer, farmers and common consumers are burdened with high electricity costs, and the BJP government has failed to fulfill its promise of providing 300 units of free electricity.

Calling for peaceful resistance, Das urged citizens to follow Mahatma Gandhi’s path and raise their voices through non-violent means. He appealed to people to question the government, including the Chief Minister, on unfulfilled promises and governance failures.

In the evening, Bhakta Das participated in a “Chai Pe Charcha” programme at Rajaghara Pokhari, where he again urged the public to speak out against what he termed harmful government policies.

The meeting was attended by senior Congress leaders and MLAs, including Ashok Das, Ananta Sethi, Nalini Kanta Nayak, Ashit Pattnaik, Madhusmita Sethi, Amiya Mahapatra and Shubendu Mahanti, along with thousands of local residents.