BHUBANESWAR: Members of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), youth wing of the BJP, and anti-liquor activists clashed with police at different places in the city during their protests on Thursday.BJP youth wing took out in a procession to gherao assembly, protesting unemployment in the state, while anti-liquor activists blocked NH-16 here demanding prohibition in the state.BJYM workers tried to enter the assembly from three sides — Lower PMG, the road in front RBI office and from 120 Infantry Battalion — and fought a pitched battle with the security personnel. More than 500 BJYM activists were detained by police.BJYM state president Tankadhar Tripathy said, “The state government has provided employment to only 26,000 youths in the last 10 years out of 22 lakh youths, who registered themselves with the employment exchanges for jobs, since 2009. It even failed to conduct a single job fair.”Prohibitionists led by Milita Odisha Nisha Nibarana Abhiyan (MONNA) blocked NH-16 at Satsang Vihar, protesting against sale and manufacturing of liquor in the state. Police tried to pull them out of the NH to clear the traffic. Around 300 people were detained by the police.“Police pulled us out of the road forcefully. They behaved with us rudely as if we are criminals. Is it Naveen governments Maa ku samman (respect to mothers)? We will give befitting reply to Naveen,” said Draupadi Rout from Kendrapada.Malay Tripathy, an activist of MONNA, said the police attacked their women activists at Satsang Vihar. “We are demanding total prohibition because liquor has destroyed peace in families. It has become a major problem in the state,” he added.Due to the protests, major roads like Rasulgarh-Vani Vihar, Vani Vihar-Raj Mahal square, Acharya Vihar-AG square and Power House square-Jaydev Vihar witnessed heavy traffic snarls. The road in front of Utkal Mandap and near 120 Infantry Battalion were closed by the police to control the BJP youth wing protesters.DCP Anup Kumar Sahoo said 50 platoons of police force were deployed in the city to control the anti-liquor activists and BJP youth wing members.“We have arrested 17 anti-liquor activists for manhandling police and disrupting traffic by blocking NH-16 at Satsang Vihar. We will also arrest BJP youth workers for attacking an agitating gram rakhi at Lower PMG,” he added.BJP MLA Rabi Naik staged protest inside the assembly, opposing police action on agitating BJYM workers during the protest rally. Later BJP MLAs staged a walkout when finance minister started presenting the interim budget in the House.BJD MLA Puspendra Singhdeo said, “The BJP should ask the Centre why it failed to create jobs for youths of the country. The Central government had promised to provide two crore employments every year. What happened to the jobs? Modi government has cheated the youths of the country.”

Stay updated with all the Latest Bhubaneswar headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.