Several political and social organisations have started demanding unconditional release of 26 members of farmer body Nav Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS) who were arrested for demonstrating in front of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s car near the State Secretariat here on Tuesday.
leaders political parties and social activists of more than 100 organisations on Saturday voiced protests against the Chief Minister’s “anti-farmer attitude” and the police action against the agitating farmers.
A group of social activists of different organisations staged a dharna in front of the Raj Bhavan and handed over a memorandum to Governor SC
Jamir urging for his immediate intervention in the issue.
Freedom fighter Bhabani Charan Patnaik, senior journalist Rabi Das, human rights activist Biswapriya Kanungo, Devi Prasad Prusty, Dhanadakanta Mishra, Er lalitmohan Patnaik, Manoj Jena, Amiya Pandab and Sarvoday leader Ramakant Mandal participated in the dharna.
The protesters demanded a bonus of Rs500 on the minimum support price (MSP) per quintal of paddy instead of a mere Rs 100 bonus as announced by the Government. If the Government does not release the arrested farmers, we will intensify our protests,” said the activists.