A powerful alliance is forming in Odisha’s political arena as Congress openly backs a farmers’ bandh on January 28, organized by the Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan. The strike protests massive corruption in state-run paddy procurement, disorganized rollout of smart meters, and crippling fines imposed via PUCC checks on farmers and the public.
OPCC’s video appeal resonated widely, positioning the party as farmers’ staunchest ally. Past agitations have spotlighted the injustice of withholding subsidies from those selling excess paddy beyond 150 quintals. President Bhakta Charan Das mobilized every district unit, calling for total involvement to amplify the farmers’ voice against exploitation.
National coordinator Akshay Kumar detailed the six-hour bandh from dawn to early afternoon, emphasizing opposition to mandi malpractices and inflated pollution certificate penalties. Crucially, no disruptions to critical infrastructure like healthcare or transport were planned, balancing protest with responsibility.
BJD’s endorsement adds heft, with leader Lenin Mohanty praising the bandh for highlighting rural distress. The party gears up for escalated actions, including province-wide demos through mid-February and a mega Bhubaneswar rally on the 24th, targeting procurement pitfalls and security lapses.
Odisha’s farming crisis has reached a boiling point, with this bandh serving as a litmus test for government responsiveness. Political parties uniting on these fronts signal potential shifts in voter sentiment, urging immediate reforms to restore trust in procurement mechanisms and ease regulatory burdens.