PM’s Odisha Visit: Congress Sells ‘Pakoras’ As Mark Of Protest In Cuttack

By OB Bureau On May 26, 2018

Bhubaneswar/Cuttack: The state is witnessing numerous protests of different kinds to draw the attention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his one-day visit to Odisha on Saturday.

With the BJP completing its fourth year in office, Modi is expected to present his government’s report card while addressing a meeting at Baliyatra ground in the afternoon.

As a mark of protest, the state unit of Congress has set up ‘pokora’ stalls in Cuttack.

In a TV interview ahead of the Budget session in January, Modi, in response to a question on rising unemployment and lack of jobs, had said that a person selling pakoras is considered “employed”. The Prime Minister’s remark drew much flak from the opposition though his party had supported him.

On Friday, Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Niranjan Patnaik lambasted Modi for this remark and said that the party supporters would sell the deep fried delicacy in the Millennium City. “This is a good step if someone follows the idea,” he had said satirically.

The Congress also hit out at Modi for the rising fuel prices. It had earlier staged dharnas in front of refilling stations in Bhubaneswar, blaming the central government for its failure to control the prices of petroleum products.

The Congress is observing the fourth anniversary of the BJP government at the Centre as ‘Betrayal Day’. Earlier in the day, OPCC members had staged a dharna in front of Khurda Additional District Magistrate office.

Opposing the Prime Minister’s visit to the state, the Chhatra Congress activists also burnt a 25-feet high effigy of Ravana, with faces of Narendra Modi, in front of the Congress Bhavan here.