Sambalpur: Odisha BJP President Samir Mohanty and the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Pradipta Naik were arrested following a scuffle that broke out between police and the saffron party activists protesting in front of the Revenue Division Commission (RDC) office in Sambalpur on Thursday.
As per reports, more than 15 BJP activists were arrested in the incident for allegedly trying to break into the RDC office while protesting Odisha government's alleged mismanagement in token allotment during paddy procurement.
Alleging the prevailing issues in paddy procurement in mandis are man-made, BJP on Thursday slammed the State government and staged protest in Sambalpur.
BJP further alleged that the Odisha government's reluctance to implement Centre's farmer centric schemes in Odisha has led to the present situation in the State.
Addressing the farmers' congregation in Sambalpur, Vijaypal Singh Tomar, In-Charge (Associate) of Odisha BJP said, "India is an agricultural country. The financial condition of the farmers here has gone from bad to worse in the past 50-60- years. We have to address this issue as soon as possible."
Suresh Pujari, BJP MP from Bargarh said, "Thousands of quintals of paddy lying unsold at mandis across Odisha. The gross mismanagement in issuing tokens has made the farmers suffer a lot."
The farmers who are yet to harvest their crop have been issued tokens while the ones who have already got their paddy packed and ready to sell are yet to be issued tokens, alleged Pujari.
However, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) refuted the allegations of BJP. Odisha Minister, Samir Ranjan Das said, "BJP has been badly pinched by the farmers in Delhi over farm laws. This protest in Sambalpur is only a cover up to divert people's attention from what is happening in Delhi."
Meanwhile, Congress veteran, Narasingha Mishra termed BJP's protest in Sambalpur as 'thief crying thief.' Launching a scathing attack on the BJP, Mishra said, "I want to ask the BJP, when the Food Corporation of India, which is a Central government PSU, has been clearly ordered by the Orissa High Court to buy paddy from farmers, who is the party (BJP) protesting against."
(Edited By Pradeep Singh)