Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has announced plans to gherao the Odisha Assembly on September 23 in protest against what they claim is the systematic curtailment of powers vested in people’s representatives under the Panchayati Raj system.
At a press meet, senior BJD leaders Debi Prasad Mishra, Pramila Mallik, and Arun Sahoo alleged that elected representatives at the grassroots level are being stripped of their authority, undermining the spirit of decentralisation.
The leaders claimed that such moves weaken democracy and go against the foundation of the Panchayati Raj structure, which was introduced to empower local self-governance. Zilla Parishad chairpersons, block chairpersons, sarpanchs, and ward members from across the state are expected to join the demonstration.
