Bhubaneswar, October 8: The Odisha Congress on Wednesday held a torch rally ahead of the state-wide bandh called by the Congress and INDIA bloc, with the Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissionerate deploying around 150 officers to maintain law and order during Thursday’s shutdown.

Odisha Congress president Bhakta Charan Das appealed to people to support the bandh, describing it as a movement to protect constitutional and land rights.

“I humbly appeal to the people of Odisha to support our democratic bandh tomorrow. This is a fight to protect our constitutional rights and the rights over our land,” Das said.

He also urged party workers to ensure that the bandh remained peaceful and democratic and that all laws were respected.

Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee Vice President Santosh Singh Saluja also appealed to people to cooperate with the shutdown, alleging that democracy was being undermined through “vote theft.”

“The Congress and INDIA bloc have called for a bandh in Odisha tomorrow. We appeal to every individual to cooperate tomorrow and make the bandh a success,” Saluja said.

Meanwhile, Bhubaneswar-Cuttack Police Commissioner Suresh Devdutt Singh said extensive security arrangements had been put in place across the region.

“Extensive police arrangements have been made to maintain law and order during this bandh tomorrow,” the Commissioner said.

Also read: 12-hour Odisha shutdown today: Security tightened at government offices in Bhubaneswar

He said special arrangements had been made to ensure the smooth functioning of national highways, railway lines and other key routes, with around 150 officers deployed for security duties.

The police also said efforts would be made to ensure that essential services remain unaffected and that people face no difficulties in accessing hospitals and other necessary services.

The Commissioner appealed to political parties and their supporters to exercise their democratic rights peacefully and within the legal framework.

In Sambalpur, the bandh was being observed on Thursday and was expected to disrupt normal life, with markets, schools and colleges remaining closed.