Bhubaneswar, August 5: Hundreds of Congress supporters led by Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee President Sarat Patnaik on Friday staged demonstration as a part of their nationwide protest against price rise, rising unemployment and GST hike on common food items.
The party workers carrying posters and shouting slogans against both the Union and the state government marched in a rally from the ADM office to gherao the Governor’s house
Congress Spokesperson Rajanikant Mohanty said while they were marching peacefully, Police obstructed them near the Governor’s house and did not allow them to proceed ahead.
In protest the Congress activists sat on a dharna on the road
Police arrested several Congress activists including OPCC President Sarat Patnaik, former OPCC presidents Prasad Harichandan, Jaydev Jena and several senior Congress leaders.
Addressing the gathering before marching in a rally the Congress leaders criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his utter failure to manage the economy to lead the country in the right direction.
The prices of essential commodities skyrocketed during the NDA rule, they alleged. In comparison to 2014, the prices of cooking gas, diesel, petrol has increased by 45 to 70 percent.
Prices of oil, salt, pencil, Dal , biscuit, curd, atta and other common food items increased due to imposition of GST.
The Congress leaders said the Prime Minister had promised acha din to people but eight years later all sections of people particularly poor, farmers, low income group and middle class people are affected by the price rise and leading a miserable life.
The rate of inflation is remaining constantly over seven percent, they alleged.
Along with price rise, the unemployment problem has become acute. Lakhs of educated youths are passing through a period of uncertainties due to lack of jobs,
The Modi government instead of providing 16 crore jobs as promised has given jobs only to 7.22 lakh youths during the last eight years.
As many as 13 crore people have lost their livelihood due to demonetisation and imposition of GST and 45 crore people were pushed into poverty during the last eight years.
The Congress leaders also slammed the Odisha government for recruiting people on contract basis in the health, education and police department during its 22 years rule. They dubbed both the Modi government at the centre and the Naveen government at the state as two sides of the same coin.
The congress leaders accused Modi government of trying to terrorise Congress President Sonia Gandhi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi through the Enforcement Directorate but in no circumstances Congress will bow before it, OPCC President Sarat Patnaik said.
