Opposition parties, the Congress and the BJP and the Navnirman Krushak Sangathan staged protests here on Tuesday against the State Government’s alleged apathetic attitude toward farmers and termed the BJD’s Delhi rally as a “mere drama.”
The BJP Kruskak Morcha led by its State president Shibaji Mohanty gheraoed the State Secretariat and burnt the effigies of Chief Minister Naveen Patnakik and Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Surjya Narayan Patro.
Police arrested many Morcha workers following a scuffle erupted between them when the latter was marching towards the Secretariat.
The Morcha alleged that the State Government has failed to procure paddy from farmers at MSP of Rs 1,750, set by the Union Government and is not giving bonus of Rs 100 to farmers promised by the Chief Minister earlier. The party also alleged that Mandis have not yet been opened at many places in the State.
They alleged that State Government has announced KALIA Yojana to hoodwink people. Among others, party vice-president Sameer Mohanty, general secretary Bhrugu Baxipatra, secretaries Kalandi Samal and Dilip Mallick, spokespersons Golak Mohapatra and Dillip Mohanty, BJYM State president Tankadhar Pradhan and Mahila Morcha State president Pravati Parida were arrested and later released. Later a team of Morcha led by BJP vice-president Sameer Mohanty met Governor Prof Ganeshi Lal and submitted a memorandum.
The Pradesh Kissan Congress (PKS) held a rally from the Congress Bhawan to the Raj Bhawan and submitted a memorandum, addressed in the name of the President, to the Governor seeking that the State Government procure paddy from farmers at Rs 2,930 per quintal and provide bonus of Rs 750 per quintal and waive farm loans.
The rally led by PKC president Amiya Patnaik was participated by Santosh Sahoo, Subash Rout, Brundaban Khatei, Sudhakr Sahu, PCC spokespersons Prashant Satpathy and Deepak Mohapatra and Basant Mohaprana, among others.
Similarly, the NKS led by its president Akshaya Kumar staged a dharna in front of the Raj Bhawan. Kumar slammed the BJD for staging a dharna in Delhi and demanded that the Government procure paddy at Rs 2,930 per quintal and pay security allownce of Rs 5,000 to each farmer above 20 year’s age. Later, a team led by NKS State convenor Sheshadeb Nanda submitted a memorandum to the Governor.