Bhubaneswar, Sep 15 (IANS) A scuffle broke out on Monday between workers of the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the police near the Raj Bhavan (Governor’s House) during a protest over the ongoing fertiliser shortage across the state.

The protestors led by the senior party leaders marching towards the Raj Bhavan faced off the police personnel when the latter stopped them at the barricade near the Governor’s residence.

Later, a delegation of the BJD leaders also met the Governor and submitted a memorandum seeking his intervention to ensure smooth supply of fertiliser to the farmers in the state.

While speaking to media persons, senior BJD leader Prasanna Acharya on Monday said: “The farmers across the state are in dire need of fertilisers at this peak time of the Kharif season. However, the farmers across all the districts in the state are facing severe hardships as the government has been failing to provide adequate fertiliser to the farmers. The government claims that adequate fertilisers are available in the state, while farmers complain that they are not receiving any. Who is telling the truth?”

He also alleged that farmers can be seen waiting in queues stretching for kilometres in front of cooperative agencies — the Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and Large Area Multipurpose Societies (LAMPS) — for the entire day to obtain fertilisers.

However, they are still not receiving any and are being forced to purchase fertilisers from the open market at much higher prices. While taking a swipe at the state government, the veteran BJD leader said that it is utterly shameful, as the ministers are accusing farmers of indulging in politics for venting their anger over the scarcity of fertiliser.

Meanwhile, the BJP hit back at the opposition BJD saying that farmers are happy with the state government. The party claimed that the state government is taking stringent action against the dealers engaged in black marketing of fertiliser.

Senior BJP leader Manoj Mohapatra during interactions with media persons alleged that the BJD leaders who held protest at Governor’s residence are the actual promoters of the black marketeers engaged in the fertiliser hoarding and illegal sales.

On the other hand, farmers at several places in the state on Monday staged demonstrations and road blockades protesting over the non-availability of fertiliser in their area.

–IANS

gyan/pgh