Thousands of Congress workers led by PCC president Prasad Harichandan took part in the second-phase Janajagran Yatra held in Nabarangpur district on Saturday.
The party workers walked nine km from Narashingaguda to Tentulikhunti block of the district.
The Yatra was followed by a public meeting at Meghamala Tota. In his address, Harichandan termed both the BJP and the BJD as anti-farmer. “Even though farmers are committing suicide due to crop loss and loan burden, the State Government has remained insensitive to their plights,” he alleged.
Harichandan further alleged that the Collectors of the drought-hit districts are submitting fabricated reports on crop loss and attributing other reasons for suicide. He demanded compensation of `20,000 per acre for damaged crops.
The Janjagaran Yatra would be organised in different parts of the State in 10 phases till April 2016 in order to make the people aware of the BJD Government false promises and failures, said Harichandan.
The PCC chief along with other leaders also met the family members of Bhago Paika who committed suicide on Thursday in his Purunapani village under Padalguda gram panchayat in Nandahandi block by hanging from a tree.
Among others, AICC general secretary BK Hariprasad and secretary Subhankar Sarkar, former MPs Pradeep Majhi and Bhakta Charan Das, Jeypore MlA Tara Prasad Bainipati, Dabugam MlA Bhujabala Majhi, Kotpad MlA Chandra Sekhar Majhi, Koraput MlA Krushna Chandra Sagaria, laxmipur MlA Kaliash Chandra Kulesika, former MlA Sadan Nayak and senior party leaders Bikram Panda, Muna Tripathy and Saroj Patro were present.