Balasore: Pradesh Congress Committee chairman Niranjan Patnaik targeted the BJP saying it has virtually made Lord Hanuman as village watchman with installing his statues and constructing his temples at villages.
He was speaking at the Dalit Samman Samabesh organised by Pradesh Congress Committee at Gandhi Smruti Bhawan in Balasore district Sunday.
He said that it was the farmers’ curse that had ensured BJP’s debacle in three states.
He also launched a fierce verbal attack on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, saying the BJD government has done little for the dalit and tribal people in its 19 years of ruling.
Dalits and tribals constitute 17 and 23 per cent of the state’s population respectively. Yet, the BJD government has done nothing for their economic growth. The CM’s steps are only designed to loot the poor and natural resources of the state by inviting industrial giants. If the Congress comes to power, land documents and houses will be provided to all dalits, landless and tribal people, Patnaik announced.
The Pradesh Congress suggested for waiving of farmers’ loan seven months ago whereas the state government has now brought some projects for the farmers only to hoodwink the people as the general elections are just round the corner, he said.
Patnaik, who attended the conference as chief guest, was brought to the Smruti Bhawan in a procession. On this occasion former PCC chairman Jayadev Jena, who also shared the dais with Patnaik, said the government is just wasting away crores of rupees in the name of Biju Yuva Bahini.
PCC vice chairman Debashis Pttanayak, PCC general secretary Sanjeeb Giri, PCC secretary Satyashib Das, District Congress Committee president Sarat Raj, Ananta Prasad Sethy, Ganeswar Behera, ex-MLA Gopnarayan Das and Chittaranjan Sarangi have attended the meeting.
PNN