Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday said the Kotia group of villages in Koraput district is an inseparable part of Odisha and people of the State irrespective of party affiliations are with them.
“The Kotia villagers are with Odisha and continue to be with Odisha. The Andhra Pradesh Government’s attempt to take the area into its area will not be allowed as people belonging to all political parties are with the Kotia villages,” the Minister said after visiting the area.
Pradhan said that it is the responsibility of the Union as well as the Odisha Government to ensure all-round development of Kotia which is deprived of basic facilities. Besides, the Union Minister also visited the family of Kunduli gang-rape victim who later committed suicide. He took a dig at the Odisha Government over the tardy progress of investigation into the gang-rape and her subsequent suicide and demanded for a CBI probe into the incident.
“Even six months after the incident, the Odisha Government has failed to provide justice and nab the miscreants involved in the incident. The family’s demand for CBI probe has also been overlooked,” said Pradhan.