Bhubaneswar, Oct 31 (Representative) Hundreds of activists of the ruling BJD under the leadership of Sushant Kumar Rout, MLA (North) today held a massive rally in the capital city to protest the rising prices of fuel and essentials. The activists of all the frontal organisations of the party including the Biju Chhatra Janaka Dal, the Biju Yuva Janata Dal, Biju Mahila Janata Dal and senior leaders of the party party participated in the protest rally.
As a part of the agitation, the BJD supporters marched in a cycle rally, came on bullock cart and cooked food on earthen ovens using firewood to lodge their protest against the rise in prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas. Later they sat on a dharna in front of the Governors house and submitted a memorandum to the President through the Governor. Senior party leader Debi Prasad Mishra blamed the faulty policy of the Union government for the rise in fuel prices and other essential commodities. He said the price rise when the people are hit hard by the Covid has affected the common people most. He said the prices of essential goods rises due to the cascading effect of hike in prices of oil. Mishra threatened to intensify the agitation across the state if the central government did not initiate any step to reduce the oil prices in the coming days. The BJD has also planned to hold demonstration across the state in the coming days.
While the Biju Mahila Dal will hold demonstration in all the 147 Assmbly constituencies tomorrow, the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal and the Biju Yuva Janata dal will hold demonstrations outside all petrol pumps from November 5 to 7 next. However BJP General Secretary P Harichandan and senior Congress leader Suresh Chandra Routray alleged that the BJD resorted to agitation to divert the attention of people from the rising resentment against the government following the murder of Mahaling School Teacher Mamita Meher and the alleged involvement of Minister of state for Home Capt Dibya Shankar Mishra in the incident.