Police evict Cong protesters

BARGARH:Tension ran high in front of the district Collectorate for quite some time after members of the district Congress, led by OPCC president Prasad Harichandan, former PCC chief Jayadev Jena, former minister Kishore Patel and Prakash Chandra Debta tried to forcibly enter the collectorate protesting suicide by farmers in the district. A scuffle broke out as the police prevented the Congress activists from entering the district Collector’s office.

Accusing the State Government of directing the police to suppress the voice of protest against farmers’ suicide, Prasad Harichandan said a mass movement would be built up over the issue and the State Government will be held responsible for any law and order problem.

The district Congress had been staging a dharna since November 3 outside the district Collectorate demanding that the State Government should own up farmer suicides, hike MSP of paddy to `3,000 per quintal, waive all agricultural loan besides free electricity to Lift Irrigation points.

Later,  District Collector Khagendra Kumar Padhi held talks with Harichandan.  The Congress, however, went back on dharna till the police forcibly evicted them in the afternoon.Later, Harichandan said that both the State and the Centre are apathetic towards the issue of farmers’ suicide.