A day after waylaying State Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy in Balangir district, BJP workers on Wednesday showed black flags to four other Ministers at different places protesting the State Government’s inaction to resolve farmers’ problems that have led to an increasing number of their suicides.
Reports said that hundreds of BJP workers intercepted and showed black flags to State School and Mass Education Minister Debi Prasad Mishra, Finance Minister Pradeep Amat and Energy Minister Pranab Prakash Das at Harabhanga in Boudh district when they were returning from attending an official programme.
The activists alleged that farmers’ plights had been worsening and they were committing suicide due to the callous attitude of the Naveen Patnaik-led State Government towards them.
Similarly, the saffron workers also showed black flags to Steel and Mines Minister Prafulla Kumar Mallick at Nuapada when he was returning from holding a meeting at the Circuit House there.
When asked by reporters, Debi Prasad Mishra said that the State Government has already announced a package for drought-hit farmers and some drought-affected districts have also received funds. Assistance would be distributed to farmers soon.
Prafulla Mallick said that the package announced by the Chief Minister would reach farmers soon.
Notably, BJP farmers had also shown black flags to Agriculture Minister Maharathy and Sports Minister Sudam Marandi while they were on visit to Balangir district and Ganjam district, respectively, on Tuesday.