Summary:
BHUBANESWAR: The opposition Congress and BJP extended their support to the state's leading farmers outfit call for a 12-hour Odisha bandh on February 21.The Naba Nirman Krushak Sangathan (NNKS) has given the call for the bandh demanding proper minimum support rice on paddy, pension and prestige for the farmers.Odisha Congress chief Niranjan Patnaik Tuesday announced his party's support to the NNKS's bandh call. The police have recovered banners at Baliguda in Kandhamal district where, the Maoists appealed to the people to support the NNKS bandh call and termed the state's BJD government as "anti-farmer. Odisha government is trying to fulfill the demands of the farmers and the bandh call given by NNKS will cause inconvenience for the students appearing in the matriculation exam." "As such our bandh will be observed during the day time and they can transport the examination materials after 6 pm," he said.The CPI(Maoist) have also supported the NNKS's bandh call. "Odisha's Finance minister S B Behera, who also heads a ministerial panel to deal with agitating farmers, said: "The opposition parties dont have any other issue to raise..