Hundreds of farmers under the banner of the Navnirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS) observed a 12-hour State-wide bandh over its longstanding demand of “price, pension and prestige” for farmers. The bandh evoked partial response.
In Bhubaneswar, NKS members staged a blockade on the Patia-Nandankanan road early in the morning by burning tyres. Similar acts were also held near Master Canteen Square and other places of the city. Most of the schools and business establishments including petrol pumps remained closed.
As buses and other modes of public transportation including taxis, auto-rickshaws stayed off the roads, railway and air passengers had to face problems in reaching their destinations.
Several foreign nationals were stranded at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here. Hundreds of passengers had to wait hours for buses and auto-rickshaws at bus stands in the State capital, Rourkela, Cuttack and several other places.
In Brahmapur, NKS members staged road blockade raising slogans alleging anti-farmer policies by the Government.
The impact of the bandh was also felt in Bhadrak district. Farmers and activists of NKS observed the bandh near the bus-stand, Bhandaripokhari and other areas by staging pickets on NH-16. Vehicular communication was hit between Bhadrak, Cuttack and Baleswar.
In Jagatsinghpur, farmers held protests in eight blocks including the district headquarters. Businesses, markets and establishments remained closed and vehicular communication was also thrown out of gear in the district.
Members of the farmers’ body shouted slogans against the Government and squatted at several junctions of Phulbani town. While life was badly hit in the district headquarters of Kandhamal, police made adequate security arrangements to prevent any untoward incidents.
In Koraput, farmers along with Congress and BJP members participated in the shutdown. Buses and other modes of public transportation stopped plying.The Congress and the BJP lent support to the bandh.
As many as 10 farmers from Patia-Nandankanan road in Bhubaneswar, over 20 from NH-16 in Bhadrak and more than 30 farmers from Jagatsinghpur, 39 from Cuttack Madhupatna, over 56 from Chandikhol, Dharmasala and Panikoili areas of Jajpur district, more than 15 farmers from Khordha and 20 from Jatni were taken into preventive custody by police during the bandh, said sources.
“We are demanding price, pension and prestige, but the State Government is coming up with KALIA and PEETHA schemes which in no way are going to benefit farmers, said an agitator.
Twin City Police Commissioner Satyajit Mohanty said the bandh did not affect normal life in any way in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar. “We have picked up 70-80 protesters while picketing at various points in Bhubaneswar, whereas the bandh did not have any impact in Cuttack. As many as 30 platoons of police forces were deployed in the twin cities to maintain law and order,” Mohanty said.