Bhubaneswar: Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leaders Thursday took out a protest rally against the BJP government in Odisha which completed one year in office.
Holding handwritten placards BJD MPs, MLAs and other leaders held a protest rally at Master Canteen Square here and raised slogans against Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and called the BJP government a “colour-changing and name-changing government”.
On their way to the lower PMG Square, the protestors were intercepted by police following which a scuffle ensured leading to preventive arrest of several BJD leaders including former ministers like Prafulla Samal, Arun Kumar Sahoo and others, the police said, adding that the leaders were later released.
Responding to the BJD leaders allegations of “colour-changing and name-changing government”, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi termed the previous BJD government headed by Naveen Patnaik as an “event management government.”
The BJD leaders also alleged that the promises made by the BJP before elections were “unfulfilled” by the state government though it completed one year in office.
They also alleged deteriorating law and order situation in the state over the past year, particularly an increase in crimes against women and sexual offences.
The BJD leaders also highlighted the “reduction in central grants, negligence by the Centre on issues like Polavaram, Kotia, Mahanadi and Coastal Highway, price rise of essential commodities, mismanagement in the Jagannath Temple, neglect of the interests of OBC, ST, and SC communities, attacks on Odia identity.”
Senior BJD leaders who participated in the protest included party vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra, Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik’s political secretary Santrupt Misra and others.
Odisha Panchayati Raj minister Rabi Narayan Naik said that the BJD people should give ‘report card’ to the people on their 24-year rule in Odisha. “We are giving our report card of one-year government to the people. Let them come to the public instead of making allegations,” the minister said.
Meanwhile, a report from Nabarangpur district said that BJD leaders organised a 12-hour bandh in Raighar block protesting “non-payment” of farmers who sold their paddy at government mandis.
The farmers alleged that despite selling 14,252 quintals of paddy worth approximately Rs 4.5 crore since February, 344 farmers from the Raighar area are yet to receive payment, four months after the sale.
PTI
