Odisha: Aska Bandh Observed For Rushikulya District Demand; Agitators Threaten Boycott Of 2024 Polls

Berhampur: The Sugar Town Odisha, Aska in Ganjam district observed dawn to dusk bandh on Thursday in support of their demand for formation of Rushikulya district.

All business establishments, banks, schools, colleges and courts remained closed and buses went off the road in support of the bandh. However, emergency services like hospitals and examination centres of the students were exempted from the bandh.

The general public and members of Aska Bar Association observed the bandh under the banner of the Joint Action Committee (JAC). The members of JAC said they have been demanding formation of Rushikulya district bifurcating Ganjam since 1992 when Biju Patnaik was the Chief Minister.

“When Deogarh district consisting of three panchayat samitis with a population of 2.32 lakh could be formed, why the demand for Rushikulya district consisting of eight blocks including Aska, Dharakote, Seragada, Sanakhemundi, Kabisuryanagar, Beguniapada, Polsara and Hinjilicut in Ganjam district having a population of more than 15 lakh cannot be fulfilled?,” asked Rabindranath Sharma, JAC president.

Aska Sugar Factory and Aska Cotton Mills, 10 educational institutions including one Sanskrit College, a government women’s college, Central School and two technical schools come within the proposed Rushikulya district.

“We are having all the infrastructure for the office and government quarters for the district. The government must declare Rushikulya as a district and Aska its headquarters. If the government fails to fulfil our demand, the people of Aska will boycott 2024 General Elections,” said Surendranath Panda, Bideshi Nahak and Dilip Kumar Panigrahi and others who led the agitation.