Bhograi: A day after Union Petroleum, Oil and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan flayed the state government over development issues at his party’s Jana Paramarsa rally at Bhograi in Balasore, Higher Education and Industries Minister Ananta Das countered Pradhan, terming his statement as ridiculous.
Das addressed a presser at his Dehurda residence here Saturday. Launching a scathing attack on Pradhan, Das said, “The BJP has not learnt a lesson even after its debacle in the recently concluded Assembly polls in five states. Criticising the Chief Minister and the scale of development in Odisha and describing Bhograi as underdeveloped is quite laughable.”
The people of Odisha as well as Bhograi have come to realise how far the statement of Pradhan was true whenever he alights from a helicopter and goes on thundering about the issues of development, he added.
Notably, Pradhan had alleged that elderly residents of Gobardhanpur — Subal Das, Dhanajay Das and Kartik Das– were deprived of old age pension while another resident Snehalata Panda was receiving Rs 300 instead of Rs 500.
Das dismissed all such allegations of Pradhan. He added that the three Das families of Gobardhanpur are not eligible for pension and the case of Panda is completely baseless.
Das also pointed out that the Union minister had misled the people by terming Bhograi backward in tourism, education, healthcare and industry sectors.
Throwing the gauntlet at Pradhan on the issue of development, Das observed,” I invite the Union minister and other leaders of his party to come to Bhograi on road and see the difference between what it was before and what has changed now in his constituency. I will bear their expenses of their tour cost.”
Raising the issue of Central funds, Das accused the Narendra Modi–led government of not providing financial assistance to the state and Bhograi even though the area has favourable infrastructure for development. Lack of Central fund has thrown spanner in the matter of development, he added.
BJD observer Rajkishore Das said the Union agriculture minister has heaped praise on Odisha, terming it’s the first state in agriculture production.
PNN