By IANS,
Bhubaneswar : Non-Congress parties, including Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Thursday held separate demonstrations to protest the state’s alleged neglect in the railway budget for 2012-13.
Hundreds of BJD activists came out in a motorcycle rally in the city and assembled near the Raj Bhavan, the official residence of state governor M.C. Bhandare.
Shouting slogans against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) central government, the BJD activists, including some legislatures, also demanded full rollback of the fare hike proposed in the budget.
BJD lawmakers also staged a sit-in protest near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi in side the assembly premises here.
Left parties also organized a rally in the steel city of Rourkela against the rail fare hike proposal.
Disapproving the hike proposed by Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi in the rail budget Wednesday, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said it will adversely affect the common man.
Terming the budget as “very disappointing”, Patnaik expressed his displeasure for allocating less funds to Odisha.
“The UPA government has been repeatedly neglecting the state,” Patnaik said addressing a public meeting in the Athagarh area of Cuttack district Thursday.
The state government had requested the railways ministry to allot Rs.2,345 crore for various ongoing projects in Odisha.
Patnaik said he found that only Rs.714 crore has been allotted in this budget.