Maharathy was scheduled to visit Sambalpur after visiting Kalahandi and Nuapada. But he cut short his visit from Nauapada, where he witnessed strong protest from BJP and Congress party members. Opposition parties alleged the minister for cut short visit due to fear of protest by opposition parties. However, the ruling BJD in its reply to the allegation leveled by the opposition parties, it said that the BJP and Congress making the farmers’ death a political issues.
On Friday, the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik asked this party members to support distress farmers in the state so that they would not take any extreme set following crop loss. Notably, as per the government reports, 48 distress farmers in the state have committed suicide following crop loss and debt burden.
On the contrary, over the same issue, the Congress party protested at all the block officers across the state on Friday demanding compensation and hike in the minimum support price for paddy procurement in the state.