Malkangiri: Alleging inordinate delay in paddy procurement by mandis across the state, Congress activists under the leadership of former Nabarangpur MLA Pradeep Majhi gheraoed the district Collector’s office here today.
Hundreds of protesters staged a sit-in before the entrance of the Collectorate starting from the morning by staging a blockade by keeping paddy sacks and resorted to sloganeering against the State Government. Later they resorted to gheraoe bringing official works in the building to a halt.
#WATCH | #Congress workers led by former MP Pradeep Kumar Majhi
stage protest in front of #Malkangiri district collector's office alleging lapses in paddy procurement #Odisha pic.twitter.com/0PSyO9l5VS— Kalinga TV (@Kalingatv) February 11, 2019
Congress has come down heavily upon the rice mandis opened in the district in past three months for not yet starting paddy procurement. It has also claimed that the farmers are facing issues in guarding their paddy sacks for long time which needs to be taken into consideration.
“If the mandis fail to procure 60% of paddy at its earliest we would intensify the stir in the days to come,” warned Majhi during the protest.
The Congress has decided to continue its stir till paddy procurement process gets completed in the district.