BHUBANESWAR: The ongoing farmers’ protest against alleged ‘katni-chhatni’ (deductions during paddy procurement) here reached the 20th day with national coordinator of Navnirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS) Akshay Kumar continuing his hunger strike seeking immediate abolition of the practice in the state.
As part of the agitation, the NNKS activists led by its state convener Seshadev Nanda and other leaders staged a protest in front of the residence of Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Thursday and demanded appropriate action to curb the irregularities in paddy procurement at mandis across Odisha. The protesters also had a minor scuffle with the police during their agitation.
Kumar alleged that the millers have completely ignored the norms and guidelines of paddy procurement issued by the state government and those in the Civil Supplies department and the district administration, who were supposed to control the millers, have surrendered to their lobby.
The farmer leader alleged that they had a threadbare discussion with the chief minister in presence of deputy CM KV Singh Deo and chief secretary Manoj Ahuja on January 27 but there has been no change in the situation and the practice has continued as before.