At least 61 BJP workers were taken into preventive custody after they tried to barge into the office of the deputy director of agriculture (DDA) here today, police said.
The BJP workers under the banner of BJP Krishak Morcha had staged a dharna in front of the office of the DDA this morning over crop loss due to pest attack.
"We had to take the BJP workers into preventative custody as they tried to enter into the premises of the office of the DDA forcibly," Sub-Divisional Police Officer BG Mohanty said.
Tension erupted when the BJP workers tried to enter the premises of the DDA office and a scuffle ensued between the police and the BJP workers, a police officer said.
"The paddy procurement has already begun. The farmers should sell their produces now. But they are being forced to commit suicide. The attack by the brown planthopper pest began a month ago but the government did not take any action," BJP district unit general secretary Anil Behera said.
He also said that the farmers are helpless as they are getting fake pesticides from the market.
Former minister Jaynarayan Mishra alleged that the department of agriculture and the department of animal husbandry have been lying defunct.
The government should provide pesticides at subsidised rates and make arrangements for inspection of pest-affected paddy fields by experts, Mishra said.
We also demand compensation for farmers within 15 days, legal action against fake pesticide dealers, waiver of loan and compensation for the families of the farmers who committed suicide, he said.
The BJP workers, including 20 women, were taken into preventive custody under Section 151 of CrPC, a police officer said.
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