Protesting price rise of essential commodities, State Congress leaders and workers on Saturday staged a dharna in front of the Raj Bhavan here displaying vegetables and domestic lPG cylinders, the prices of which have increased.
The Congress leaders criticised the BJP Government at the Centre and the BJD Government in the State for failing to control price rise that has hit the common man badly. later, a party delegation met Governor Dr SC Jamir and submitted a memorandum to him on the issue.PCC president Jayadev Jena said the Modi Government has raised the prices of diesel, petrol and lPG which has resulted in the price rise of essential commodities beyond the reach of the common man. There is nothing for Odisha in the Modi Government’s Railway Budget and Union Budget, he added.
Former PCC president Niranjan Patnaik, who was seen sitting next to Jena at the dharna site, said the Union Budget of the Modi Government is disappointing; it has nothing for a poor State like Odisha, no provisions for irrigation, nothing for agriculture. Modi’s promise of special package for the eastern region States during his poll campaign has not been reflected in the budget, he added.
Niranjan Patnaik questioned why the Naveen Patnaik Government is now not coming out with allegation of the Centre’s neglect and maintaining silence by merely writing letters. It is Naveen Patnaik’s weak leadership that is responsible for the neglect of Odisha by the Centre, he added.Meanwhile, the BJP and the BJD strongly criticised the Congress for taking the issue to the streets as, they said, the Congress had created the economic mess which is leading to the price rise.