Bhubaneswar: Continuing its fight against the BJP-led Central Government, Governing Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday launched a three day dharna-cum-demonstration against price hike in LPG gas cylinders.
The leaders and activists of BJD and all its frontal organizations, Biju Mahila Janata Dal, Biju Yuva Janata Dal and Biju Chhatra Janata Dal staged protests outside the Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC), Central Range office at Cuttack.
The BJD activists also demonstrated before all Block offices under the jurisdiction of the Central Range.
Similar protests and dharna were also organized before the IOCL office and ADM office in Bhubaneswar by the governing party leaders.
The members of Biju Mahila Janata Dal were spotted cooking on a chullah (earthen stove) in the protest site.
The biggest problem women are facing today is LPG price hike. Despite several protests and requests, the Centre is not reducing the price, which made the life of common man miserable, said BJD MLA Anant Narayan Jena.
“The Modi Government had launched Ujjwala Yojana and claimed that the Centre is concerned about housewives and women. But those assurances were false as he (PM Modi) has failed to regulate the price of cooking gas which is affecting each and every woman,” said a woman BJD activist.
The demonstrators shouted slogans against the Modi government for its failure in checking the high price of the LPG gas and threatened that the party would intensify the agitation across the state till the centre reduced the price.
The price of LPG has gone up by 123 per cent in the last three years. A LPG cylinder now costs around Rs 950.
The party would stage protest demonstration before the RDC office in Sambalpur and all the block offices under its zone tomorrow while similar protests and dharna will be organized on November 24 before the RDC office at Berhampur and also all the block offices under its jurisdiction
The Biju Mahila Janata Dal had earlier on November 1 last resorted to protest demonstrations in all the 147 assembly constituencies against the hike in the prices of petrol, diesel and cooking gas.
The youth wing and student wing of the ruling party had also organized demonstrations and dharna in front of the petrol pumps for two days on November 6 and 7 against the hike in the prices of petrol and diesel.
Meanwhile, Opposition BJP today launched ‘Halla Bol’ agitation demanding justice for Mamita Meher and action against Minister of State for Home, Dibyashankar Mishra in this case.
Taking out a massive rally from Raj Mahal Square, the saffron party leaders and workers marched towards Naveen Niwas, shouting slogans against the Government and Minister Mishra.
BJP’s Bhubaneswar wing president Babu Singh, “We are holding this Halla Bol agitation demanding the Chief Minister to remove Minister Mishra and give justice to the victim’s family.”
Another BJP leader Dillip Mohanty launched a scathing verbal attack on the BJD-led government. He said if the government didn’t pay heed to their demands, the day is not far away when the people of the State will come out and punish the Ministers by dragging them in streets by cuffing their hands.
While marching towards Naveen Niwas, the BJP workers were stopped mid-way by the police at Sishu Bhawan Square. Several BJP workers were also detained and later released.
