Bhubaneswar, Mar 11 (PTI) Demanding the rollback of the LPG price hike and smooth supply of cooking gas in Odisha, opposition BJD workers on Wednesday staged a protest in the busy Master Canteen area of the city.
Hundreds of workers from Biju Mahila Janata Dal, Biju Yuva Janata Dal and Biju Chhatra Janata Dal, along with women, youth and students, joined the demonstration and expressed resentment over the rising prices of LPG cylinders, edible oil and other essential commodities.
The protest was led by Biju Mahila Janata Dal president Snehangini Chhuria, Biju Yuva Janata Dal president Chinmaya Sahoo and Biju Chhatra Janata Dal president Ipsita Sahoo.
Raising slogans against the BJP government, BJD workers staged a symbolic protest by cooking food on traditional wood stoves on the road.
The Centre on March 7 raised the price of domestic LPG cylinders by Rs 60, while the price of commercial cylinders was increased by Rs 115.
Addressing the gathering, Chhuria alleged that under the Subhadra scheme, the BJP government had promised to provide Rs 50,000 to women, but deceived them by giving only Rs 5,000.
Instead of strengthening the economic security of women, the government has doubled their hardships through repeated price hikes, she alleged.
The BJD’s protest programme came a day after the women's wing of Congress held a similar agitation in the city.