Bhubaneswar: The ruling BJD on Monday staged a two-hour-long dharna in front of block offices across Odisha, protesting against the meagre hike of 80 rupees per quintal in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy announced by the Union Government for the financial year 2016-17.
Senior BJD leaders and activists, including Ministers, MPs and MLAs, took part in the dharna in their respective constituency segments.
MLAs Priyadarshi Mishra and Bijay Kumar Mohanty participated in the demonstration in front of Bhubaneswar block office here in the capital city. The legislators demanded increase in MSP for paddy to Rs 2930 per quintal. They also submitted a memorandum addressed to the Governor to the block development officer in this regard.
Addressing the gathering, Mishra said, “Narendra Modi Government has been ignoring the interests of farmers across the nation. As an agricultural state, we are facing serious problems because of the poor agricultural policy of the central government.”
“We will continue to protest against the Modi government till they hike the MSP for paddy,” he added.
BJD has decided to continue its two-hour long protest in front of the block offices across the State till July 18.
Last month, the BJD Krushak Cell, the farmers’ wing of ruling BJD party, submitted a memorandum to the President of India Pranab Mukherjee through the Governor of the state S.C.Jamir, requesting him to intervene on the issue of increasing the MSP for paddy crops.
Ms Kalinga