BHUBANESWAR: A day after the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the women's wing of the state Congress staged a demonstration in front of the Raj Bhavan here today against the Centre's decision to withdraw subsidy on LPG in a phased manner.
Led by state president of the Odisha Pradesh Mahila Congress (OPMC) Sasmita Behera, the slogan-shouting protesters burnt posters and placards of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan.
"We strongly condemn the decision of the Centre to hike the price of LPG by Rs 4 every month to withdraw subsidy on cooking gas completely. BJP got the votes of women by making false promises before the election and now they have decided to hike the price of LPG by 4 per cylinder every month," Behera told media persons.
Demanding immediate roll back of the decision, she announced that Mahila Congress will intensify the agitation at the panchayat level if the Centre failed to withdraw the decision.
President of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Prasad Harichandan also joined the demonstration and described the Centre's decision as anti-poor. The international price of crude oil has come down now compared to when the UPA was in power at the Centre, Harichandan said and criticised the Centre for its decision to withdraw subsidy from LPG.
The protesters submitted a memorandum addressed to President Ram Nath Kovind to Governor SC Jamir highlighting their demand.
Meanwhile, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) today demonstrated at all the organisational districts of the party to protest against the attack on the car of party vice-president Rahul Gandhi while he was visiting the flood affected district of Banaskantha in Gujarat on Friday.
A demonstration was held infront of the Raj Bhavan today in this connection which was attended by Harichandan, president of the OPMC Sasmita Behera, party spokesperson Lalatendu Mohapatra and other leaders.
However, several senior leaders of the party led by former minister Niranjan Patnaik protested the attack against Rahul Gandhi's car at the Gandhi park here. Former minister Bijaylakshmi Sahu, former MP Anant Prasad Sethi and several senior leaders were present.