Accusing the ruling BJD of treason, the Congress on Thursday demanded resignation of Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Surjya Narayan Patro for slamming the UPA Government and saying that only Rs 250 crore was released for the victims of cyclone Phailin by the Centre.
The issue was raised in the State Assembly when Patro criticised the UPA Government at the Centre saying it had released only Rs 250 crore as assistance against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s announcement of Rs 1,000 crore as advance for the State. Patro’s statement was immediately challenged by Congress chief whip Prasad Harichandan, who claimed that though the Centre has already released Rs 1,000 crore, the State’s BJD Government deliberately misled the House as well as the people by suppressing facts.
Speaker Pradip Kumar Amat had to adjourn the House several times after agitating Opposition members trooped into the Well, raising slogans and demanding Patro’s resignation. When the House reassembled at 3.40 pm, the Congress members preferred to remain in the Well and did not participate in the debate on the Appropriation Bill, which was passed amidst pandemonium. Patro, however, in a statement, clarified that the Centre has released Rs 750 crore from the NDRF (National Disaster Response Fund) in two instalments and his department was not aware about the release of the second lot.
“I came to know about receipt of Rs 500 crore from the NDRF today after the Opposition members made the claim. In this context, I amend my earlier statement,” he said. Patro clarified that the State has so far received a total of Rs 750 crore from the NDRF. However, Harichandan claimed the State has already received Rs 1,000 crore, Rs 750 crore from the NDRF and Rs 250 crore from the SDRF.
As Patro admitted of receiving Rs 750 crore, Opposition members demanded an apology from him for misleading the House and his resignation for “betraying” the people of the State, particularly the calamity victims. The Congress MlAs, who also staged a dharna near the Mahatma Gandhi statue in the Assembly premises, also accused the BJD of “treason.”
“As this Government has been instigating the people of Odisha against the Central Government, it must be treated as an act of treason,” leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh told reporters.
“The first installment of Rs 250 crore was released on November 29, the day on which BJD MlAs created a pandemonium in the Assembly. The next phase of funds worth Rs 500 crore was released on December 3,” Singh pointed out, adding that the Centre has also released Rs 250 crore from the SDRF. While the Centre released its share of Rs 169.99 crore from the SDRF for 2013-14, it also released Rs 80.01 crore as advance, Singh said, adding that the amount was Rs 250 crore under the SDRF head.
Wondering that the Minister was not aware of the release of funds though Rs 500 crore was transferred to the State’s account on December 3, 2013, Singh said the State Government’s intention is clearly exposed. “They deliberately suppressed acceptance of Rs 1,000 crore just to create an anti-Centre sentiment among the people of the State,” he said.