Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday made a scathing attack on the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD Government, accusing it of being neck-deep in corruption and non-performance when it came to implementation of the Central schemes for the poor.
Addressing a largely attended election meeting here, Gandhi targeted the BJD Government for its complicity in the huge mining scam worth several lakh crores of rupees and said it was a pity that people of this minerals-rich State did not get any benefit from the mining sector which was allowed to be looted in such a brazen manner.
She also reminded the people of the series of scams that have taken place during the BJD regime including the chit fund scam, midday meal scam and the dal scam.
The Congress president also lashed out at the Patnaik Government for its failure to utilise Central funds meant for the marginalised sections such as poor widows. She said development could have been much faster and better in Odisha had her party been in Government in the State.
“If you compare the amount of Central funds that have flown into Odisha over the last 10 years of the UPA rule with the money that had reached the State under the NDA regime, you will see a ‘zameen-aasman’ difference,” she said.
Stating that unlike under the NDA regime, the Odisha Government has received huge amounts of Central funds and liberal assistance for development work in the State, Sonia Gandhi said the BJD Government has failed to deliver at the grassroots level.
Talking about unemployment and migration, Gandhi said that if the State Government had implemented the MGNREGS properly, people would not have been migrating to other States.
Referring to the CAG report and the Supreme Court case on the MGNREGS in Odisha, she said the level of corruption in this scheme is huge and the State Government has failed to achieve the objective of the scheme.
She also reminded the people, especially tribals, of the significant role Rahul Gandhi played in defending the rights of the tribal people in the Niyamgiri Hills and said the Congress has always been on the side of the poor, dalits and tribals and has brought legislations for their welfare and their rights to food security, forest, land and livelihood.
“When this area was reeling under drought, Indira Gandhi came here in 1967. When the BJD was trying to devastate Niyamgiri, Rahul reached the place immediately and did not let the State Government to fulfil its ill-motive. The Congress has always fought for the people that no one has so far been able to,” said Gandhi.
Taking a dig at the BJP, Gandhi said that while the Congress is committed to work for the poor and common people, the saffron party is hankering after ‘kursi’ (chair) and ‘satta’ (power).
She said the country is passing through a trying time and people should discern between the genuine ones and those with ‘mukhota’ (masks).
Warning people against falling into the trap of “hollow and fake promises” dished out by the BJP, she appealed to the voters to support her party candidates in all lok Sabha and Assembly constituencies.
Referring to the Congress’ poll manifest, she said the party is committed to enact laws to ensure free health care to the poor and also pucca houses for every family if it is voted back to power at the Centre.
AICC general secretary in charge of Odisha BK Hariprasad, PCC president Jayadev Jena and the Congress candidate for the Kalahandi lok Sabha seat Bhakta Charan Das were among those present at the election meeting.