CUTTACK: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday mounted a frontal attack on the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre alleging that it is discriminating Orissa on political considerations.With the BJD youth meet on the occasion of August Kranti Divas providing an apt platform, Naveen went on the offensive charging the Congress with neglecting the State on all fronts.The UPA Government’s policies are based on political considerations. While special packages and grants are being doled out to states of their ‘interest’, Orissa is being repeatedly left out or ignored despite deserving more than the others, he claimed.The Chief Minister warned that persistent neglect by the Centre would have disastrous consequences as it was contrary to the federal structure of the country. “The Centre has specific responsibility to lend a helping hand to the poor states. Orissa’s demand for a Special Category State continues to be neglected even though it fulfils all the prerequisites for the status,” he said.Crores of rupees go to the coffers of the Centre from Orissa under various heads and sources but when it comes to genuine rights of the State in terms of mineral royalty, infrastructure development like Railways and Ports, and other development works, the Centre seems to be tight-fisted, he said. Even though the State is ravaged by natural calamities year after year, the Centre is reluctant to extend special package or assistance, he added.He went on to raise the issue of corruption stating that Congress thrives on it. The UPA Government came to power on the ‘aam admi’ plank but has betrayed them. Inflation and price rise of all essential commodities and fuel have made life miserable for the common man even as a series of scams and corruption cases has exposed the true colours of the party, Naveen said.Listing out his Government’s development and welfare programmes, Naveen said Orissa’s interests cannot be compromised and the discrimination would be fought at every level.PYARI BELLIGERENT: BJD Rajya Sabha member and party strategist Pyarimohan Mohapatra was equally scathing on both the Congress and the BJP in the State, whom he accused of acting for the Central goals. “They should be fighting for the interests of the State. If they cannot do so, they should quit Orissa,” he said.The meet brought together almost the entire Ministry, MPs and MLAs along with youth members from nine districts under the undivided Cuttack, Puri and Dhenkanal districts. The Chief Minister released a booklet with details of the programmes, success and achievements of the State Government vis-a-vis the neglect by the Centre on various fronts. However, senior leaders like BJD dissident Damodar Rout and former minister Kalindi Charan Behera were conspicuous by their absence. Sources said both were not invited to the meet. “While the youth members and leaders would be taking these to the people at the grassroots, agitations against the Congress-led Centre from block, district to the State-level would be intensified. Youth meets would be held in different parts of the State too,” Biju Yuva Janata Dal president Sanjay Dasburma said.
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