Bhubaneswar: Alleging irregularities in paddy procurement at ‘mandis’ across Odisha, members of BJP Krushak Morcha took out a rally and tried to barge into the State Secretariat here on Thursday.
Carrying placards and shouting anti-government slogans, the members of the farmers’ wing of the BJP attempted to break the police cordon at Gate No. 4 of the secretariat. They were also demanding resignation of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and Cooperation Minister Surya Narayan Patro.
Following the scuffle with police, some of the activists were taken into preventive custody.
Earlier, the Cooperation Minister had challenged the Opposition to prove the allegation that paddy was being procured below the stipulated MSP of Rs 1750 per quintal at the ‘mandis’
