The Congress and the BJP on Tuesday hit streets over farmers’ plight with the former staging a demonstration in Bhubaneswar and the saffron party organising a rally in Bargarh and Boudh against the apathy of the State Government towards the farming community.
Congress activists led by senior leader Niranjan Patnaik, Suresh Rourray and many others slammed the Government for failing to provide input subsidy to the drought-hit farmers.
“The Naveen Patnaik Government is an anti-farmer Government. It is buying rewards like Krishi Karman Award from Centre. How, a Government which has failed to ensure proper irrigation achieved award in the category of 'Best Agriculture State,” questioned Routray.
On the other hand, a day after the CAG report picked up loopholes in paddy procurement by the State Government the BJP demanded a CBI probe into the matter in Bargarh on Tuesday.
Blaming the Government for its ‘anti-farmer’ policy, the party organised a rally under the leadership of party president Basanta Panda and Suresh Pujari and demanded that the Government must pay the farmers their input subsidy and bonus at the earliest.
Farmers in large numbers who congregated near the High School Square in Bargarh town gheraoed the Collector’s office and urged early fulfilment of their demands. Their nine-point charter of demands included Rs 100 per quintal bonus, input subsidy and crop insurance.
“We demand that the State Government must be symphatic at least for farmers,” said BJP chief Basanta Panda.
A similar rally in Boudh district was also organised by the party which was attended by BJP state secretary lekhashree Samantray and Samir Mohanty. A 12-point charter of demands was presented to the Collector during the rally.