Cuttack: Several BJD leaders stressed on youth power for all-round development of the state while participating in a workshop of Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) here Sunday.
The leaders of the ruling party claimed that state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has introduced several schemes to empower the youths. The leaders also exhorted the youths to make concerted efforts to ensure that the BJD retains its power in Odisha.
Health Minister Pratap Jena, who graced the event as chief guest, proposed the BYJD members to organise similar workshops in all the districts of the state. He advised the BYJD to form its committees in blocks and panchayats. “The panchayat-level committee of BYJD can have 21 members,” Jena said.
The Health minister also asked the youths to create awareness on the welfare schemes of state government in social media.
Participating in the workshop, Dhenkanal MP and BJD chief whip in the Lok Sabha Tathagata Satpathy said, “We can achieve development through cooperation from the youths, not by utilising them.”
Satpathy claimed that many senators in the United States of America (USA) often make way for the young generation. “Here also, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has made arrangements to provide opportunities to the youths,” the parliamentarian said.
Commenting on the Ram Mandir issue, Satpathy said, “People who are doing politics by promising the construction of Ram Mandir should be boycotted in the country if they go to the elections without building the temple.”
The BJD MP also criticised the demonetisation of high denomination notes and introduction of Goods and Services Tax (GST) by the Centre. “Poor people suffered a lot due to note ban. Small and medium traders incurred losses due to introduction of GST,” Satpathy said.
Addressing the event, Barabati-Cuttack MLA Debashish Samantaray criticised the BJP for its divisive politics. He threw light on the youth policy of the BJD government in state.
Badamba MLA Debi Prasad Mishra, in his speech, claimed that a political party, that had solicited votes in the name of Lord Ram, has left the Lord under a tent.
Among others, state planning board deputy chairman Bishnu Das, MLAs Pravat Biswal, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak and Braja Kishore Pradhan, BYJD president Amaresh Patri, Biju Mahila Janata Dal president Minati Behera and Cuttack district BYJD president Gyanendra Girigoswami participated in the event.
BYJD secretary general Sisir Parija presided over the event. BYJD activists from the undivided Cuttack district and those from Dhenkanal and Angul were present at the programme.