BHUBANESWAR: State government offices will be closed on Tuesday on account of the Bharat bandh, called by farmers’ organisations against the Centre’s new farm laws.
Buses will remain off the roads on Tuesday, said Debendra Sahoo, general secretary, Odisha Private Bus Owners Association. The Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC) has postponed the Odisha Civil Services Main examination (General Studies I and II) scheduled on Tuesday to January 2. The deferred exam will be held at the same venue and no separate admission certificate would be issued for it, the OPSC said.
The ruling BJD, however, is yet to clarify if it would extend support to the bandh. Many opposition parties across the country have backed the farmer’s call for a nationwide strike for four hours — from 11 am to 3 pm — on Tuesday. “There is a chance that transport and communication will be affected by the bandh. This may have an adverse impact in the middle of the pandemic. In view of the same, the government has decided to keep all offices closed. Emergency services will remain open,” a statement issued by the information and public relations department said.
Senior BJD leader Debi Prasad Mishra said the regional party was sympathetic to the problems of farmers. “However, chief minister and BJD president Naveen Patnaik will take a decision on whether to support the bandh,” he said.
BJD national spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Sasmit Patra, in a statement, said BJD was looking forward to the talks between the Centre and the farmers on December 9. “It is important to resolve all the issues of farmers and remove their apprehensions. The BJD is hopeful that the outstanding issues can be resolved through sincere dialogue,” Patra said. “The BJD has always demanded doubling of minimum support prices as suggested by the Swaminathan Committee; and we will continue to do so for our farmers,” he added. Notably, when the farm bills were moved in the Rajya Sabha in September, BJD had opposed them. Opposing the Bill in the Upper House, BJD’s Amar Patnaik had said, “Small and marginal farmers do not even have the opportunity to get a minimum support price. There is a huge miscommunication in the field, particularly in the farmer’s procurement areas.” The BJD had then urged the Centre to consider sending the bills to a select committee for examination.
Congress questioned BJD’s silence on the bandh. “While most regional parties have supported the bandh, why is BJD silent? It shows BJP-BJD’s tacit understanding,” said Congress leader Panchanan Kanungo.