Rourkela: In a stinging attack on Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday claimed that the Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) in the state will be sold to private players if Narendra Modi again becomes Prime Minister.
Addressing a press meet on the sidelines of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Rourkela, Ramesh said the steel city of Rourkela is of immense significance in the journey of industrialisation in the country.
Stating that the public sector played a major role in shaping the country in 1950s and 1960s, the Congress leader said that units of NALCO and NTPC were established in Odisha.
However, the public sector units are in danger now because of Modi’s intention to sell these, he claimed, adding that the Prime Minister is trying to sell these units to selected industrialists. “If Modi comes to power for the third time, Rourkela will be sold too. NALCO will be sold as well,” the Congress leader claimed.
Coming down heavily on BJD, the former Union Minister said the regional party is working in close coordination with BJP and both the political parties are united.
Describing BJD and BJP as two sides of a coin, Ramesh said Congress is the only political party which is opposing privatisation, while BJD always supports the BJP in Parliament. BJD leaders say that they get orders from Bhubaneswar to support Modi on different issues, he claimed.
Claiming that the two parties are engaged in shadow-boxing, Ramesh said Congress is the only party which opposes the ideologies of the BJP and RSS based on hatred.
Earlier in the day, Rahul Gandhi had lashed out at PM Modi and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra, which entered Odisha on Tuesday evening.
