Rahul comes down on BJD at Odisha rally

BHUBANESWAR, ODISHA, 09.02.14Rahul Gandhi waving to the crowd during the road show near Kalpana Square In Bhubaneswar on Sunday.Photo: Lingaraj Panda - Rahul Gandhi waving to the crowd during the road show near Kalpana Square In Bhubaneswar on Sunday.

Launching a scathing attack on the Naveen Patnaik-led Odisha government over the multi-thousand crore mining scam, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday called upon people to vote out the “corrupt” Biju Janata Dal government.

“Odisha is the richest State among all Indian States. It has got huge mineral resources such as iron, manganese, bauxite and coal, long coastline and forest resources. The State has every ingredient required for development,” he said.

Referring to leaked portions of the report of Justice M.B. Shah Commission, which probed irregularities in the mining sector, he said Rs. 60,000 crore worth of minerals were looted from the State.

“While a large number of people should have been benefited from it, but a select group of people were allowed to mop up huge profit.”

The Gandhi scion questioned the government’s commitment to create jobs and implement welfare schemes. “Odisha has recorded over 3,500 cases of farmer suicide and touched unemployment figure of 10 lakh. People want job, but government does not provide.”

Mr. Gandhi talked of the Centre’s welfare schemes. “Central government provides huge fund under welfare schemes , but corrupt BJD government misappropriates the money midway.”