Bhubaneswar: Veteran Congress leader and MLA Suresh Routray on Monday hailed Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for celebrating Utkal Divas in Kotia of Koraput and accused Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of neglecting the area where Andhra Pradesh is making intrusion.
Stating that Dharmendra demonstrated the courage of visiting Kotia and asking Andhra Pradesh officials to go back, the Jatni MLA lashed out at the Chief Minister accusing him of failing to undertaking a tour of the area where the neighbouring state has been indulging in intrusive activities.
“Naveen is undertaking a visit to Japan along with a big team, but he never bothered to visit Kotia. They are spending huge amount of money for foreign visit, but are unable to work for the development of Kotia area,” the Congress leader claimed.
Accusing the BJD government of being apathetic towards Kotia, Routray told reporters that Dharmendra, being a Union Minister, not only visited the area but also asked the Andhra officials to leave the area with Odisha.
Hitting out at the BJD leaders for dubbing Dharmendra’s Kotia visit as a ‘political move’, the veteran Congress leader sought to know as to what the ruling party has been doing for the development of the area.
Accusing the BJD government of making false claims about developmental works in Kotia villages, he claimed the area is being neglected, while Dharmendra has announced setting up of a central school in Kotia.
It may be noted here that senior BJP leader and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan during his visit to Kotia on Utkal Divas on April 1 stated that the people of Koraput will never allow anybody to intrude in this region. He also asked Andhra officials to leave the area and go back.
