Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) has announced its support for the Odisha bandh called by the Navnirman Krushak Sangathan (NKS) on January 28, citing concerns that affect farmers and the wider public across the state.
OPCC president Bhakta Charan Das said the Congress decided to back the bandh as it raises several issues impacting common people, including alleged mismanagement in the statewide paddy procurement process. Other concerns highlighted by the party include the imposition of heavy fines on vehicle owners in the name of pollution under control certificates (PUCC) and what it termed arbitrary decisions on electricity tariff hikes.
The Congress has also been protesting across Odisha against the alleged scrapping of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), claiming that the move has adversely affected rural livelihoods. According to Das, the issues raised by the Navnirman Krushak Sangathan are directly linked to public interest, prompting the party to extend full support to the bandh.
He added that instructions have been issued to all district Congress committees to actively support the bandh call.
Meanwhile, Akshay Kumar, national coordinator of the Navnirman Krushak Sangathan, said the outfit would observe an Odisha bandh on January 28 from 6 am to 2 pm. The bandh is being called to protest alleged irregularities in agricultural mandis, problems related to the PUCC system, and the installation of smart meters by Tata Power.
Kumar also indicated that rail roko protests may be held at railway stations, which could lead to temporary disruption of train services in parts of the state.
Reacting to the bandh call, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Manoj Mahapatra dismissed it as a “fake farmers’ movement.” He alleged that the Navnirman Krushak Sangathan lacks grassroots support and accused the Congress of using the farmers’ body as a proxy to further its political agenda.
With the bandh scheduled for January 28, people may face disruptions across Odisha. Agitators are likely to stage road blockades at key junctions, potentially affecting vehicular movement and daily life in several areas.
