Congress protests across Odisha against price hike, GST on food items

Protesting the hike in prices for essential commodities, fuel and implementation of GST on common food items, hundreds of Congress activists staged dharna across the State on Friday. At Baripada, more than 150 Congress workers took out a rally and staged dharna in front of Collector’s office. 

They also blocked the road at Traffic Square. The dharna was led by Pradesh Congress Committee president Sarat Pattnayak, president of District Congress Committee (DCC) Hemant Kumar Das, Baripada town president Santanu Pal, Susila Tiriya and Jogesh Kumar Agrawalla.   

Besides price hike, the government has imposed GST on common food items like honey, packed puffed rice, jaggery, pencil which has made it difficult for the working-class to adequately fulfil the needs of their families, the party said.

“We have asked the Centre to withdraw GST and reduce prices of essential commodities for the betterment of common people in the country. If Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik do not act, they must resign,” demanded the agitated party workers.  

Rourkela also saw members of Rourkela District Congress Committee (RDCC) staging a demonstration in front of the office of Rourkela ADM. All India Youth Congress president Abhinav Siddharth Bhagat, RDCC’s interim president Debabrata Bihari, former Rourkela MLA Pravat Mohapatra and former RDCC president Biren Senapati addressed the gathering.

In Ganjam, over 300 activists led by Congress leader Pitabasa Panda, Bhokali Sethy and Brundaban Khatai staged a dharna in front of RDC office condemning the Central and State governments for this decision. Former MP Nakul Nayak attended the rally as an OPCC observer.

Similarly, in Malkangiri, hundreds of Congress activists led by district president Govind Patra staged agitation in front of Collector’s office and burnt the effigy of Prime Minister Modi demanding a rollback by Government.