Water Cannons Unleashed as BJD Storms Assembly Over Panchayati Raj Power Cut

Bhubaneswar : Tensions flared in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday as police deployed water cannons to disperse hundreds of BJD workers protesting near the State Assembly.
The agitation was sparked by the State Cabinet’s recent decision to empower Block Development Officers (BDOs) to approve bills up to Rs 10 lakh without the counter signature of panchayat samiti chairpersons. This move, the BJD claims undermines the
authority of elected representatives in the three-tier Panchayati Raj system. The protest, which began at Master Canteen Square, saw participation from a wide spectrum of grassroots leaders including Sarpanches, Ward Members, Zilla Parishad members, and Block Chairpersons. As the march reached Gandhi Marg, demonstrators attempted to
breach multiple layers of police barricades. The situation escalated when protestors broke through the first layer, prompting police to use water cannons to control the
crowd. Despite the crackdown, BJD leaders remained defiant, demanding an immediate rollback of the decision and accusing the government of promoting bureaucratic dominance over democratic institutions.

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