The ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Wednesday announced for organizing a State wide mass demonstration at district headquarters on August 12 concerning the issue of dilatory tactics of the Congress-led UPA Government to accord the special category status to Odisha.
BJD vice-president and Finance Minister Prasanna Acharya and Panchayati Raj Minister Kalpataru Das told reporters here that the party is forced to hold mass protest rallies on August 12 at all the district headquarters protesting the dilly dallying attitude of Center in according the special category status to the State.
Despite the fact that BJD organised a Swabhiman rally in New Delhi and collected one crore signature in the State supporting the demand, the UPA Government at the Center continues to cast deaf ear, regretted Acharya.
Dubbing the attitude of the Centre as unfortunate and disrespect to the 4.21 crore Odias, he said that even the Center did not adhere to its promise as made out in the Budget Speech of Finance Minister to start the process to bring changes in the existing criteria of according special category tag to underdeveloped States.
Das said that progress of Odisha would be faster and it could compete with the developed States provided the status was given.