Strike cripples life in Orissa

BHUBANESWAR - Rail and vehicular traffic came to a halt in Orissa as a 12-hour strike called by various parties, including the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), against price rise, came into effect.

The strike was imposed by several parties, including the BJD, Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India-Marxist, Forward Bloc, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Jharkhand Mukti Morcha and the Samajwadi Party. These parties have come together to protest against the rise in prices of essential commodities and petroleum.

“We are protesting against the rising prices of essential commodities and hike in petrol prices,” said Baisnab Parida, the BJD leader.

“We have called a strike to protest against the centre’s policies which have led to a rise in prices. This is to pressurise the central government to take steps to control prices,” added BJD MP Pyarimohan Mohapatra.

Train services were adversely affected as hundreds of protesters squatted on railway tracks. Long distance trains remained stranded at several stations and bus services were also impacted.

The strike invited strong criticism from opposition parties.

“It is ironic that the ruling BJD has joined the protest as the state government is equally responsible for the rise in prices as the central government,” said Biswabhushan Harichandan, a BJP leader.

The strike has compounded problems in Orissa’s southern districts, where public transport has been off the roads with Maoist guerrillas also observing a strike from April 24-30.