Team News Riveting
Bhubaneswar, February 15
The Congress-sponsored Odisha bandh on Monday in protest against the price hike evoked mixed response as the twin Cities presented a contrasting picture.
While bandh supporters inflicted hooliganism, rail roko and road blockades at several places in Bhubaneswar, the Congress workers were comparatively calm in Cuttack and distributed chocolates to the commuters to mark the event.
In Bhubaneswar, several Congress workers stormed the commercial locations and forcefully shut down the shops. A heated argument erupted between the vendors and the Congress workers.
Congress leaders in Cuttack claimed that party workers were told not to harass commuters or enforce blockades.
“The bandh is being observed peacefully in Cuttack district. Our workers have been asked not to burn tyres or ransack vehicles while observing the bandh,” a Congress leader said. “We are getting more support from the public than we had expected,” he added.
Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik said “Both the Centre and the State government are imposing unreasonable taxes on fuel, leading to a steep hike in their prices which in turn lead to an increase in the prices of other essential commodities. Odisha should reduce tax on petrol and diesel in order to give some relief to the people who are already sustaining hardship due to the pandemic.”
