Bhubaneswar: The Odisha unit of the Congress party has extended its open support to the Odisha Bandh called by the Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan on January 28. The organisation alleges serious irregularities in paddy procurement across the state, disorder in smart meter installation, and excessive fines imposed on farmers and the public under the Pollution Under Control Certificate (PUCC) rules.
In a video message, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) stated that the party stands firmly with the bandh. Congress has previously led large-scale protests throughout the state, raising farmers’ concerns. Key issues include the denial of input subsidies to farmers selling over 150 quintals of paddy and the levying of fines under the PUCC regulations, which have drawn strong opposition from the party.
OPCC President Bhakta Charan Das has appealed to all district Congress committees, workers, and members to fully support the bandh.
Meanwhile, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has described the bandh as a positive step, highlighting it as a reflection of the grievances faced by the farming community. BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty noted that the party plans state-wide protests from February 2 to 17, culminating in a large rally in Bhubaneswar on February 24, focusing on paddy procurement and law and order issues.
Akshay Kumar, National Coordinator of the Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan, told the media that the bandh will be observed from 6 am to 2 pm on January 28. The protest aims to highlight irregularities in paddy mandis and oppose the additional fines imposed in the name of pollution certificates. He assured that railway services and essential services such as hospitals and ambulances will not be affected during the bandh.
The bandh is expected to bring attention to farmers’ demands and the need for transparent and fair practices in paddy procurement and regulatory enforcement in Odisha.
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