BHUBANESWAR: The BJD on Wednesday threatened to launch a statewide agitation against the failure of Odisha government to bring prices of essential commodities under control.
Addressing a media conference here, Opposition chief whip Pramila Mallick and BJD leader Lekhashree Samantasinghar targeted the BJP government over its helplessness on the issue after coming to power on the poll plank of good governance. “If the BJP’s victory celebrations on its election success are over, the small engine (state government) should take the assistance of big engine (Centre) to resolve the issue,” they said.
The BJD leaders termed the statement of Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra that the government is helpless in controlling the rise in prices of vegetables, rice, dal and other essential commodities as unfortunate. “If the state government is helpless, who will come to the rescue of poor people reeling under the rising prices of essential commodities?” they questioned and demanded immediate steps to regulate the prices.
The BJD leaders also asked the minister to turn his attention to actual work. “Without trying to give justice to the people who have elected them, the BJP is busy comparing the chief minister and two deputy chief ministers as Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra. This is sheer arrogance,” they added.
Countering the BJD, state secretary of BJP Kasturi Mishra said the new government in Odisha is only 21 days old, but has initiated measures to bring prices of essential commodities under control. It is the BJD which did not take any step to control the price rise during its 24-year rule in the state. “The BJD government did not construct a single cold storage in the state during the last 24 years. As a result, Odisha is depending on other states for potatoes, onions, vegetables and other essential commodities. After coming to power, the BJP government has initiated steps to set up cold storage at all the block headquarters,” Mishra added.