BJD will fight for farmers: Naveen Patnaik

Bhubaneswar, Sep 21 (PTI) Leader of Opposition in Odisha Assembly Naveen Patnaik on Sunday expressed concern over the state government's "inability" to resolve the fertiliser crisis and said the BJD would continue to fight for the farmers and further amplify its voice at various levels.

The BJD president said the party MLAs have strongly raised their voices on the fertiliser crisis in the Assembly.

Patnaik, in a post on X, said: "There is no solution to the farmers' fertiliser problems so far. The illegal sale of fertilisers is rampant everywhere. While farmers are facing inconveniences regarding fertilisers, the government's inability to resolve this is a matter of concern." He said, "For the interests of the farmers, the Biju Janata Dal is always raising its voice. For their rights, the party will further amplify its voice at various levels." For an immediate solution to the fertiliser problem, the BJD MLAs have sought the intervention of the governor. They urged the governor to take steps to provide the necessary fertilisers to farmers as soon as possible and to stop black marketing.

The Odisha Assembly could not transact any business and was adjourned on September 19 and 20 as BJD MLAs protested in the House over the fertiliser crisis during the ongoing Kharif season in the state.

BJD's Deputy Leader in Assembly, Prasanna Acharya, said his party has launched an agitation in the Assembly because the government "failed" to resolve the fertiliser crisis even as it claimed that there is no shortage of nutrients.

"Despite claims of sufficient stock, fertilisers are being sold illegally at Rs 800 to Rs 1000 per 45 kg bag of urea against the government-fixed price of Rs 242," he said.

Acharya alleged that the government has no sincerity to resolve the farmers' crisis. "The BJD demands timely and adequate fertiliser supply to all farmers, strict measures to curb black-marketing and hoarding," he said.

Senior BJP MLA and former minister Jayanarayan Mishra, however, accused BJD of deliberately disrupting Assembly proceedings at the instruction of their "super leader". He, however, did not reveal the name of the BJD's so-called "super leader".

"Their leader has not been coming to the House, and the BJD MLAs are stalling the proceedings instead of moving a motion to discuss the issue. They are avoiding a structured debate. Even senior BJD leaders privately admit that they are obeying directives to disrupt the House," Mishra alleged.

He said that the Congress has given a notice for an adjournment motion over the fertiliser issue. "If BJD members were really serious about the issue, they would have participated in the discussion," he said. PTI AAM AAM RG