BJD announces hartal in Odisha against petrol price hike

The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) today announced that it would stage a "hartal" across Odisha tomorrow to protest the steep hike in the price of petrol and diesel despite a slide in crude oil price in the international market.
Hitting out at the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre for the fuel price hikes, senior BJD leaders told reporters that five-hour state-wide hartal would be observed from 7 AM till 12 noon.
Apart from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, party workers and supporters would stage peaceful agitation in all district, sub-division and block headquarters, BJD vice presidents Prasanna Acharya and Usha Devi and general secretary Sanjay Dasburma said.

Demonstrations would also be held infront of offices of the Central government, they said adding the agitation would continue till the Centre reduced fuel prices.
While the international crude price had fallen, the NDA government has failed to take steps to reduce the price of petrol and diesel, they said.
Stating that frequent increase in fuel price had adverse impact on the common people, the BJD leaders said fuel price hike would have a cascading effect on the prices of essential commodities.