The eruption of communal violence in Cuttack, leading to curfew in the city for the first time since the early 1990s, is the latest such incident since the BJP formed its maiden government in Odisha last year.
The Cuttack incident is particularly embarrassing for Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi as, while triggered by a clash between two communities, it spread after the VHP got involved and, defying curbs put by the administration, clashed with police.
The Sangh Parivar outfit’s involvement has given the Opposition ammunition to attack the first-time CM, who also has the Home Department under him.
Calling what had happened “unfortunate”, BJD Rajya Sabha MP Sulata Deo said: “Cuttack has never witnessed any animosity during festivals. The recent violence shows the state government has failed… As no action is being taken against criminals, there is no fear in them of the law.”
Deo also questioned Majhi’s “silence” over the law and order situation even though he holds the Home portfolio.
VHP leader Sujit Kumar Nayak said it was not they who wanted violence. “We have full faith in the government. The CM has assured that strict action will be taken against those who pelted stones on a Durga idol immersion procession (early Saturday, which triggered a clash). To restore peace… police should find out who instigated the stone-pelting,” said Nayak, adding that several VHP workers had also sustained severe injuries.
However, a senior BJP leader admitted that what had happened was “an alarm bell”, and that the government needed to tread cautiously and find a way to curb incidents of right-wing violence.
One of the first such incidents had happened in June last year, days after the Majhi government assumed charge. Curfew was imposed in Balasore town following a clash between two communities over rumours of mass slaughter of cows on the occasion of Id-ul-Azha.
In June this year, Internet services were suspended in Bhadrak as a precautionary measure following a death in a communal clash. The same month, a mob shaved the heads of two Dalit men and forced them to crawl over allegations of cow smuggling in Odisha’s Ganjam district.
There have been similar reports from other parts of the state.
In Cuttack, the series of events started with a clash in the early hours of Saturday when a Durga idol immersion procession ventured into a communally sensitive area. The processionists allegedly played songs at a loud volume which were objected to by the other community.
Things appeared to be cooling down on Sunday, when right-wing outfits took out a bike rally through the area, seeking support for a bandh called by the VHP the next day. The rally participants clashed with police and pelted stones when officials tried to stop the procession from entering sensitive pockets. Police had to resort to a lathicharge and teargas shells to disperse the mob.
On Monday, the VHP bandh passed off peacefully.
Sources in the Chief Minister’s Office said the CM has sent a clear message that police have a “free hand”, and must take steps that need to be taken. He has ordered the Director General of Police and other top officers to camp in Cuttack till things are back to normal.
A senior bureaucrat said the situation would have “deteriorated” even more, but for the curfew. “Six people were arrested for violence during the immersion and eight more for Sunday’s violence. More people are being identified irrespective of their political affiliation. No one will be allowed to disturb peace and order,” said the official.
The administration has also opened dialogue with various communities and is taking measures for confidence building, officials said.
BJP sources said VHP leaders had also met Majhi. “The CM assured them that police have been asked to act against all those who try to disturb peace and order.”
The BJP’s Cuttack MP, Bhartruhari Mahtab, said police should first investigate the “provocation” that led to stone-pelting during the immersion procession. A BJD leader who moved to the BJP ahead of the 2024 elections, Mahtab also condemned the violence on Sunday by right-wing groups but claimed that “outsiders” were to blame.
“I had warned the administration that some people who have a criminal history are trying to create disturbance in the city and that others are encouraging them… Instead of extending curfew in the city, stringent action should be taken against such miscreants,” he told The Indian Express.
2024 had marked a shift of Cuttack’s loyalties from the BJD. With Assembly and Lok Sabha elections held simultaneously in the state, the BJP had won the Cuttack MP constituency and one of the three MLA seats (Cuttack Sadar). Another Assembly seat falling in Cuttack, Barabati-Cuttack, was won by the Congress, while the BJD retained the Cuttack-Choudwar seat.
The Congress’s victory from Barabati-Cuttack was attributed to the influence of party veteran Mohammad Moquim, whose daughter Sofia Firdous was the party candidate in 2024. Barabati-Cuttack has a sizeable Muslim population.
Firdaus said the government should take strict action against the perpetrators of Cuttack violence irrespective of their identity. “Everyone should come forward to restore peace in a place that has been known for its communal harmony,” she said.
The BJD continues to control the Cuttack Municipal Corporation, and its Mayor Subhash Singh said the state government should have done more to handle the violence. “Whatever happened during the immersion procession and Sunday’s bike rally was very unfortunate. We never thought such a situation would arise,” said Singh, adding that rumours that a person had died in Saturday’s violence made matters worse.
BJD MP Deo said that under the previous government led by their party, there was “rule of law” as former CM Naveen Patnaik acted firmly against any attempts to stir communal tensions.