Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik Friday launched a month-long Jana Samparka Padayatra in Bhubaneswar, launching a blistering attack on the BJP government and accusing it of failing on virtually every front and neglecting the interests of Odisha.
Patnaik launched the padayatra from Raj Padia under the Ekamra Assembly constituency here on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti and alleged that Odisha was passing through a difficult phase despite the state government claiming to be a government of the people.
“Although the government claims to be a government of the people, there is nobody to listen to the people,” he said.
The month-long padayatra, which began on Gandhi Jayanti, will continue till November 2, with BJD workers reaching out to people across the state.
Patnaik alleged that children were being deprived of proper textbooks, elderly people were facing difficulties in receiving pensions, farmers were distressed, women were facing problems and the law and order situation had deteriorated.
“The government has failed in every sphere,” he said, alleging that the BJP government had mishandled the Rath Yatra, flood relief operations, paddy procurement, recruitment examinations and the state’s financial affairs.
He said people were now commenting that the Odisha government had perhaps acquired “special expertise in mismanagement.”
Taking up mining-related issues, Patnaik alleged that the Centre had taken away the rights of the people of Odisha over the state’s mineral resources. He also accused the state government and the 20 BJP MPs from Odisha of remaining silent on the issue.
“They are silent when it comes to the interests of Odisha but are ready to fight for the mining owners,” he alleged.
On errors in school textbooks, the former Chief Minister said thousands of mistakes had been detected in the books, but the government was unwilling to accept responsibility for them.
Patnaik also alleged that the state’s revenue collection was declining even as budgetary allocations were not being fully utilised.
“Nothing is happening on the ground, but the debt burden continues to increase. Where is the money going?” he asked.
Patnaik said the BJD had always remained in the hearts of the people because of its work and would continue to serve their interests.
He called upon BJD workers to intensify the party’s struggle for the interests of Odisha, saying the party had been fighting for the state by following the ideals of former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik and would continue to do so.
Senior BJD vice-president Devi Prasad Mishra, former minister Ashok Panda, MLAs Ananta Narayan Jena and Sushant Rout, and Bhubaneswar Mayor Sulochana Das, among others, addressed the gathering.