Non-BJP parties protest against Raman visit

With Raman Singh on a day's campaign trip to Odisha for the coming panchyat elections, all non-BJP parties including ruling BJD intensified their stir against the Chhattishgarh chief minister for the projects being built in the upstream of Mahanadi river in that state.

While BJD activists, most of them women staged a 'Jal Satyagrah' at Sambalpur and Cuttack, Congress led by Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra sat on a dharna at Bolangir.

"We are staging a peaceful dharna protesting against Raman Singh's visit to the state as he is the person responsible for the miseries of the people living in both sides of Mahanadi river in Odisha," said Mishra.
 

The Congress activists also distributed leaflets at Raman Singh's Budra meeting asking the Chhattishgarh chief minister to return and stop construction of the projects in the upstream of Mahanadi river in his state.

CPI activists staged a demonstration here and burnt an effigy of the Chhattishgarh chief minister holding him responsible for the decline in the flow of water into Hirakud reservoir. The left activists also staged a road blockade as a mark of protest.

Samajwadi Party state unit also staged a dharna in front of Bolangir district collector's office and demanded immediate stop to construction work of the projects by Chhattishgarh government.

Mahanadi Bachho Andolan, a local body also staged agitation in Bolangir district.

In Sambalpur, BJD MLA Raseswari Panigrahi led the agitation. A large number of women BJD activists stood in knee deep water of Mahanadi demanding immediate stop of work by Raman Singh.

The BJD activists performed an 'aarti' of Mahanadi river in Sambalpur and Cuttack when Raman Singh left for his state.

During his one-day tour to Odisha Raman Singh addressed three public meetings in Bolangir, Jharsuguda and Sundergarh and campaigned for the BJP candidates contesting in the panchayat elections.

The three-tier panchayat election is scheduled to be held in five phases from February 13.