Odisha Bandh Tomorrow: Farmers' Outfit NNKS Calls 12-Hour Statewide Shutdown; Congress, BJP Extend Support
The NNKS has called for a protest seeking proper minimum support price (MSP) on paddy and other agricultural produces, pension and prestige for the farmers.
Bhubaneshwar, February 20: Odisha will remain shut on Thursday as the leading farmers’ outfit in the state, the Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS), is all set to observe a 12-hour statewide bandh. The opposition Congress and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have extended support to the bandh tomorrow. The NNKS has called for a protest seeking proper minimum support price (MSP) on paddy and other agricultural produces, pension and prestige for the farmers.
The farmers' organisation has called for a 12-hour Odisha Bandh on February 21 to protest the alleged apathy of the state government towards farmers in the state. NNKS convenor Akshay Kumar was quoted by PTI saying that the farmers’ outfit has rejected an appeal made by the Odisha government to not organise the bandh on February 21 in view of the annual High School Certificate (HSC) Examination. Bharat Bandh: Traders Hold Nationwide Strike in Protest Against Pulwama Attack.
On Monday, BJP in Odisha Monday said it will extend support to a shutdown called in the state by NNKS, a farmers' organisation over pension and other demands. The Odisha BJP unit said farmers have the right to express their opinion and stage protest in a democracy. BJP Odisha unit president Basant Panda claimed that the BJD government has been trying to throttle the voice of the farmers which needs to be protested.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 20, 2019 04:17 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).