Bandh won't affect 'Nuakhai': BJP

Bhubaneswar: As a mark of respect towards the 'Nuakhai', a major festival of western districts of the state, the BJP on Monday announced to keep the celebration out of bandh purview. "We have decided to exclude all activities related to Nuakhai festival from the purview of bandh on September 20," BJP state president Jual Oram said in a statement.

Stating that the party regrets for little bit of difficulties for the people of western Odisha due to the bandh on the festive day, Oram said essential services like health care, medicine stores, fire brigade, milk products and vegetables would be kept out of the protest.

The party sought cooperation of all the people in observing the bandh in protest against the increase in the price of diesel, regulation on cooking gas and FDI in multi-brand retail sector.