Wednesday, January 4 2006 14:58 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Bhubaneswar: The opposition Congress today (Jan 4, 2006) extended its support to the statewide protest day call on January seven to condemn Monday's violent incident at Kalinga Nagar In which 13 persons were killed.

We endorse the call given by the Kalinga Nagar Surakhya Samiti and ask the people to make it a success, PCC chief Jayadev Jena told newsmen here.

Though the call was for observing a protest day, it would turn into a full-fledged bandh as both Congress and other opposition outfits have urged the people to paralyse the state.

Leader of opposition J.B.Patnaik, who was present at the news conference, said, "We are supporting this agitation."

We are asking people not to use vehicles and businessmen to close down their shops and establishments on that day, Patnaik said adding government employees were being requested to cooperate.

Six other opposition parties including Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India (CPI )Marxist (M), OGP, Janata Dal (JD) Secular(S), JMM and Samajwadi Party had already extended their support to the protest day call.

There was hectic activity in the opposition ranks as leaders of the six parties drove to the Raj Bhavan and apprised the Governor Rameswar Thakur about the Kalinga Nagar incident.

JMM Chief Shibu Soren is expected to arrive here today and proceed to Kalinga Nagar for an on-the-spot study.

Leader of Opposition, Patnaik, said All India Congress Committee (AICC) secretary Chandan Bagchi and leader of opposition in Chhatisgarh assembly Mahendra Karma would also be visiting the place at the behest of AICC president Sonia Gandhi, he said.

Senior party leader Digvijay Singh would also be visiting Kalinga Nagar soon, he said.