The indefinite hunger strike by BJP Town president Rama Patra and others, which had begun on Thursday last, was called off on Tuesday after the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (Southern) BC Mohapatra assured a BJP delegation that he would persuade the State Government to relocate the Women Weightlifting Sports Training Centre in Brahmapur.
The RDC also said an “Academy of Weightlifting” would be established near Gopalpur for which the required land has been identified. With this, a more comprehensive weightlifting centre in Brahmapur, which is the urge of the people, would take shape, he added.
The delegation was led by former Assembly Deputy Speaker Rama Chandra Panda, BJP district president Bijay Swain and BJP youth leader Bibhuti Bhusan Jena.
later, the Secretary to RDC Ranjan Kumar Sharma came to the dharna place and conveyed the outcome of the discussions held between the RDC and the delegation to the agitators.
The hunger strike was withdrawn after social worker Sushama Panda served lemon water to the fasters.
It may be recalled that the clandestine shifting of the Women Weightlifting Sports Training Hostel including seven sportswomen from the Brahmapur Stadium to Bhubaneswar on March 30 night had triggered severe
public criticism in the city and forced the denizens and sports lovers to stage a dharna before the main gate of the stadium on April 4 and again launch hunger strike before the RDC office giving rise to a huge public outcry to bring back the hostel to Brahmapur.