Bhubaneswar: The 5-hour ‘Hak Pain Hartal’ agitation of Biju Janata Dal against the hike in price of petrol and diesel caused more inconvenience to the general public than good in the capital city. Marked by vandalism, most important junctions were found to be barricaded with bamboo sticks and tyres burnt at others disallowing people take most routes. The hartal that started at 7 am today at all blocks and district headquarters across Odisha will continue till 12 noon.
Though the party had declared that emergency services like hospitals will be excluded from it, at some places even ambulances were stopped.
BJD activists in Berhampur started the hartal by staging rail roko. “BJD has called for a hartal today against the hike in prices of petroleum products. The hartal will continue from 7 am to 12 noon. We request the people to support us and give a strong message to PM Narendra Modi,” said Gopalpur MLA Pradeep Panigrahi.
BJD spokesperson Sanjay Dasburma said, “The BJD has taken to streets today against the fuel price hike imposed on consumers by the Petroleum Ministry at a time when price of crude oil has decreased in international market. The consumers are suffering while private oil companies in the country are earning crores.”
Meanwhile, the State government has issued an advisory to close all schools and colleges in view of hartal. The schools conducting examinations have been asked to conduct the same on some other day.
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