Bhubaneswar: The BJP will hold a token fast on Thursday in front of the district collector's office in the state protesting against the
Congress and BJD for allegedly disrupting Parliament. They held the parties responsible for not allowing discussion in the houses on several crucial issues of the country. This decision was taken at a meeting attended by the party's Odisha-in-charge Arun Singh and president
Basanta Panda here on Wednesday.
Member of the Parliament and party's national vice president Om Prakash Mathur will join the fast from 10 am to 5 pm. Similarly, MP and party's tribal wing chief Ram Vichar Netam will join the fast in
Sambalpur and Union tribal affairs minister Jual Oram will observe fast in Sundargarh. "We are organizing the fast not only to oppose the behaviour of the Congress and BJD in Parliament, but also pray to give some common sense to these parties," said BJP vice-president
Samir Kumar Mohanty.
Besides, the party leaders discussed about holding a host of programmes in campaign mode between April 14 and May 5. The campaign, Gram
Swaraj Abhiyan, will start from April 14 on the birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar to reach out to the rural poor. The first will be observed as Samajik Nyaya Diwas. It will celebrate Swachh Bharat Diwas on April 18. Ujjwala Diwas on April 20, Rashtriya Panchayati Raj Diwas on April 24, Gram Swaraj Divas on April 28, Ayushmaan Bharat Diwas on April 30, Kisan Kalyaan Diwas on May 2 and special day on skill development on May 5. National-level leaders will come to the state and attend meetings to be held in different villages.
BJD and Congress dubbed the fast as a political drama. "The BJP does not come for discussion on crucial issues in the Parliament. Instead of facing the opposition, they make it an issue to fool the public," said BJD spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb.
