Jharsuguda: Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan Sunday came down heavily on Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for “lawlessness” in the entire state.
Addressing election meeting at Kolabira for party candidate for the Jharsuguda Assembly by-poll, slated for May 10, Pradhan said “Odisha, has turned safe haven for antisocials and dreaded criminals.
“A police officer on duty had killed a cabinet minister. The Chief Minister has to reply which “Kalapahad” killed Naba Das and why,” asked the union Minister in the meeting.
“I am in doubt if Naveen Patnaik knows what is going on in the state,” the union Minister said adding “if he was aware what was happening, then many unfortunate incidents like murder, kidnapping could have been averted”.
“Lawlessness has prevailed all over the state, and Jharsuguda in particular,” said Pradhan.
He further said the cabinet ministers and MLAs are not getting the scope to meet the Chief Minister.
“So far as my knowledge is concerned, the new Chief Secretary of the state has not been able to meet the Chief Minister from the date of his appointment”, he remarked.
This shows how the state is being ruled and who is ruling it,” Pradhan said.
He alleged that funds from the centre and District Mining Fund (DMF) are being grossly misutilised by the state government and people hardly reap the benefit of central funds.
The Union Minister is scheduled to hold a roadshow in Jharsuguda town Sunday in favour of party candidate Tankadhar Tripathy.
UNI