The BJP Kishan Morcha burnt effigies of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik along with effigies of BJD Minister Surjya Narayan Patro and local MLA and Mines Minister Prafulla Mallick in front of Mandis at Bhuban NAC and Bhusal, protesting against paddy procurement irregularities. Morcha’s Loksabha Pravari Er Debashisha Hota led the agitators at both places.
“Today, farmers at both the Mandis complained that officials are forcibly cutting 4 kg paddy per quintal.
BJP Kishan Morcha district general secretary Arjun Mishra, Vidhansabha Pravari Kalandi Behera, Mandal presidents Ashok Majhi and Satya Jena, Mandal general secretaries Basant Dehury, Ajay Sahoo and Upendra Sahoo, Kishan Morcha leaders Krushna Mallick, Gauranga Behera, Astira Behera, Chetana Behera, Sudipta Behera and Rakesh Sahoo immediately rushed to the Mandis and gheraoed the paddy loaded trucks. Hundreds of local farmers were involved,” told Hota.
He alleged that CM Patnaik is shedding crocodile tears for farmers. While farmers are harassed by the officials on different counts at the mandis, nothing is done to address the issue. This has exposed the double standards of the State Government, Hota added.