Rourkela: Mounting a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that BJD and BJP are running a partnership government in the state.
Addressing gatherings at Rourkela and other places on the second day of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Odisha, Rahul claimed that Naveen and Modi are together and both BJD and BJP are functioning in partnership to loot the state and exploit people.
Accusing BJD and BJP of working unitedly for the benefit of rich people, who have come to the state from outside, the Congress leader said he has seen how these two parties are functioning in Parliament. “As you know Naveen Patnaik and Narendra Modi run a partnership government in Odisha. They both have joined hands and work in tandem. I find in Parliament that BJD supports the BJP. The BJD people also disturb us at the instance of BJP”.
Rahul, whose Nyay Yatra entered Odisha on Tuesday evening, said that only Congress is fighting the nexus between the two parties to safeguard the interest of the poor people.
Coming down heavily on the BJD government over growing unemployment, the Congress leader claimed that over 30 lakh people from Odisha have migrated to other states in search of jobs as the Naveen Patnaik-led government “was not working for them”.
Stating that unemployment has assumed an alarming proportion in the state, he further claimed that around 30 industrialists from outside have come to Odisha to plunder its natural resources and assets. “While 30 lakh people have migrated to other States for their livelihood, 30 crorepati from outside Odisha have come here to loot the state’s wealth.”
Accusing BJP and RSS of spreading hatred in the country, the Congress leader said it is necessary to open ‘Mohabbat ki Dukan’ in ‘Nafrat ki Bazaar’.
Claiming that tribals, Dalits and people belonging to backward classes are denied justice, Rahul said he is visiting the state to listen to the grievances of the people.
Earlier in the day, the Gandhi scion resumed his Bharat Joda Nyay Yatra by offering prayer at Vedvyas temple and started a 3.4-km-long padayatra from Uditnagar to Panposh Chhak in Rourkela. He was accompanied by AICC Odisha in-charge Ajoy Kumar and OPCC President Sarat Pattanayak.
Rahul is slated to have a lunch break at Birsa Munda Ground at Ranibandh. The yatra will resume at 2 pm followed by a public meeting. He will have receptions at Kutra and Bargaon. The padyatra will resume again at 4.30 pm from Bus Stand Chhak to SBI Chhak via Stadium Chhak in Sundargarh district followed by a public meeting and evening break. He will halt at Amlipali Ground, Jharsuguda, at night.
The yatra is slated to resume at 8 am on Thursday from Old Bus Stand at Mahatma Gandhi Chhak in Jharsuguda to Beheramal Kisan Chhak in Jharsuguda town followed by a public address. He will have break at 12 noon at Madhuban Dhaba in Govindpur area. After having lunch at Kureimal, he will resume the Padyatra at 2 pm from Konaktora in Jharsuguda district. Thereafter, he will reach Rengalpali in Raigarh on Odisha-Chhattisgarh border.
