Kendrapara: BJD activists allegedly hurled eggs, targeting the vehicle of Union Minister Bishweswar Tudu in Kendrapara Sunday while protesting against the rise in cooking gas prices.
Tudu, the Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Tribal Affairs, was on the way to attend a meeting at Kendrapara Autonomous College when the incident happened at Tinimuhani.
Tudu said that he does not care for such protests.
The ruling BJD has called for a three-day statewide agitation against rising LPG cylinder prices from Monday, party spokesperson Byomakesh Ray said.
Claiming that LPG prices have been hiked by up to 70 per cent in the last three and a half years, Ray questioned the BJP’s promise of ‘Achhe Din’ (better days).
He said the BJD will continue to protest till the central government reduces the price of cooking gas.
“While the Centre claims that the use of cooking gas cylinder has increased by 98 per cent, the National Family Health Survey shows the increase is only 20 per cent, which is a normal process,” he said.
The BJP said that the state’s ruling party was protesting over LPG prices in a bid to divert the people’s attention from the Kalahandi woman teacher’s killing case, and Mahanga double murder case.
“If the BJD government is so concerned about fuel prices, it should have reduced the VAT more, instead of just Rs 3.04 on petrol and Rs 2.86 on diesel. If the BJD is complaining about the price of gas cylinders, it should reduce electricity tariff so that people can use induction ovens for cooking,” BJP general secretary Lekhashree Samantasinghar said.
PTI
