BJD protest, a ploy to malign Odisha’s image, counters BJP

BHUBANESWAR: The BJP hit out at the BJD for organising a protest against price rise saying the Opposition party was trying to malign the image of the state when the focus of the entire world and the country was on Odisha because of the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas to be held here from January 8. Addressing a media conference here, BJP vice-president Golak Mohapatra said the government of Mohan Charan Majhi is only six-month-old and has accomplished what the 24-year-old BJD government had failed to do. Stating that the BJP government has fulfilled all its promises, Mohapatra said that the previous government had failed to give bonus of `100 per quintal of paddy to the farmers despite making an announcement. He said that the potato and onion missions started by the BJD government failed and Odisha was importing vegetables and other essentials from other states. “The BJP government has raised the minimum support price of paddy to `2,300 per quintal from `1,500 and is paying input subsidy of `800 per quintal.