6-hour bandh by Congress over rising fuel prices brings Odisha to a halt today

Led by Congress MLA Suresh Kumar Routray, the party workers also staged rail roko at the Bhubaneswar railway station from 7am while Congress leaders stopped traffic on the roads in the rest of the state

Updated on: Feb 15, 2021, 16:59:49 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Hundreds of vehicles were stranded on national highways across the state, trains remained stationary and vehicular traffic remained off the road as the Congress in Odisha called a six-hour bandh on Monday between 7am and 1pm to protest rising fuel prices and the farm laws.

Rail roko at the Bhubaneswar station early on Monday morning. (HT photo)

Led by Congress MLA Suresh Kumar Routray, the party workers also staged rail roko at the Bhubaneswar railway station from 7am while Congress leaders stopped traffic on the roads in the rest of the state. Public transportation came to a grinding halt in Bhubaneswar as Congress workers blocked the national highway NH-16 at Satsang Vihar leading to queuing of trucks, lorries and private vehicles.

Also Read | Union minister cautions Odisha over AP holding rural polls in state territory

In Cuttack, the busy Badambadi bus stand wore a deserted look as the buses stayed off the roads. The Capital Region Urban Transport that operates the fleet of Mo Bus services too suspended operations till 2pm.

Educational institutions remained closed across the state due to the bandh. State government employees working in Bhubaneswar, however, reached their respective offices by 9.30am.

“Both the Centre and the state government are imposing unreasonable taxes on fuel, leading to a steep hike in their prices which, in turn, has led to an increase in the prices of other essential commodities. During the United Progressive Alliance regime, the prices of petrol and diesel were below ₹70, but now they have reached almost ₹100, even as the prices of crude oil have come down in the international market. Odisha should reduce tax on petrol and diesel in order to give some relief to the people who are already facing hardship due to the pandemic,” said Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee president Niranjan Patnaik.

Congress leaders claimed that they are allowing emergency vehicles, including ambulances, milk vans, fire fighting vehicles and wedding party vehicles, to ply.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.