Bhubaneswar, Nov 5 (NationPress) The principal opposition party, Biju Janata Dal (BJD), has voiced strong criticism against the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Odisha government in response to a letter from Bargarh BJP MP Pradip Purohit addressed to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi.

In his correspondence, Purohit urged the Chief Minister to ensure the inclusion of 5,000 farmers from his constituency who were omitted from the paddy procurement registration process and sought compensation for farmers affected by Cyclone Montha.

In an interview with IANS, Lenin Mohanty, a senior leader and spokesperson for BJD, emphasized that the party has consistently raised alarms regarding the exclusion of numerous farmers from the procurement process, a situation the state government has yet to remedy.

“This issue extends beyond just 5,000 farmers. Thousands throughout Odisha have been left behind due to defective registration processes and technical errors,” he asserted.

Mohanty criticized the government's management of the paddy procurement and fertilizer distribution systems, labeling them as “harassing and poorly managed.”

“Farmers are forced to wait in line for hours, sometimes even days, due to inadequate coordination and technical challenges. A comprehensive reform of the system is urgently required to facilitate the work of cultivators,” Mohanty stated.

He also took a jab at the Agriculture Minister, remarking, “The Minister appears more focused on promoting dragon fruit farming than on addressing the grievances of millions of paddy farmers in western Odisha. The government must swiftly include the excluded farmers or brace for protests.”

On the matter of Cyclone Montha compensation, Mohanty accused the government of underestimating the hardships faced by the affected regions.

“While certain areas of Bargarh, Kalahandi, and Nuapada were moderately impacted, the government's sluggish response and failure to provide adequate compensation have exacerbated the difficulties for farmers,” he noted.

He further stated, “Under the leadership of Naveen Patnaik, Odisha transitioned from being a disaster-prone to a disaster-resilient state. However, the current government's ineptitude has undone that progress. People are suffering while the administration remains apathetic.”

Mohanty cautioned that if the government fails to act swiftly on both the paddy procurement and cyclone compensation issues, the BJD will have no choice but to take to the streets in support of the farmers and affected citizens of the state.