BJD supporters on Tuesday held demonstrations in front of the offices of district Collectors across seven south Odisha districts protesting against the Polavaram project.
The workers of the party held demonstrations in Kandhamal, Ganjam, Rayagada, Gajapati, Malkangiri, Koraput and Nabarangpur.
While BJD spokesperson Rabi Narayan Nanda led the demonstrations in Koraput, Transport Minister Ramesh Majhi and senior leader Bhupinder Singh led the show in Nabarangpur. Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare (FSCW) Minister Sanjay Dasburma and Rajya Sabha member N Bhaskar Rao led the campaign in Rayagada, senior spokesperson Surjya Narayan Patro and MP Sidhant Mohapatra led the campaign in Brahmapur.
“This land belongs to us. We shall not allow schemes that will displace local populace here and benefit people in some other State,” said Nanda addressing a rally in Koraput.
Majhi, however, was of slightly different opinion on the issue. “We are not against the project. However, it has to be constructed as per the plans approved earlier. We are against raising the height. We are also against the Center issuing it a national project status and giving it preferential treatment”.
The party has announced to carry out strikes across the seven districts starting October 1.
The Congress, however, questioned the intention of the demonstrations.
“I wonder why the Government has not applied for a stay order from the Supreme Court yet. The Supreme Court won’t be a silent spectator if at all the project affects the interests of the State and violates laws. This means, the State Government is not interested to protect the interests of the State,” opined leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra.