Hundreds of commuters were stranded for hours on NH-26 following BJP workers staged a dharna on Thursday at the Hati river bridge near Junagarh. They demanded that the district administration of Kalahandi lift 1.26 lakh quintals paddy immediately after renewal of the tokens that had lapsed.
The strike was withdrawn after assurances were given by the administration. The BJP alleged that the district administration had targeted to procure 24.26 lakh quintals paddy in the current Rabi season, but it remained silent after tagging 23 lakh quintals paddy which has badly affected poor farmers. BJP member Chinmaya Behera said tokens of 2,200 farmers carrying 1.23 lakh quintals paddy in Kalahandi have lapsed and 50,000 quintals paddy are yet to be procured.
Debendra Mahanty, Ajay Panigrahi, Mukesh Agrawal, Sunanda Meher, Manoj Meher, Sudhir Pattjoshi, Bhagasindhu Mangraj and Sarmista Meher, among others, were present.