)
Taking credit for his support to Niyamgiri protests that led to cancellation of bauxite mining proposal at the hill range, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi today said the party needs to continue its fight for tribals’ right in Odisha.
“The biggest issue we fought was for the rights of the tribals at Niyamgiri. We gave them land rights and gave them back what was originally theirs. We need to continue such fights in Odisha,” Gandhi said in a public meeting at Bhatapada near Cuttack in Odisha, on the first day of his two-day visit.
Three and a half years ago, during a meeting at Niyamgiri hill, Gandhi had assured the local Dongria tribals that he would work as their sepoy in New Delhi and would do all in his power to stop mining proposal of Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) for supply of bauxite to Vedanta’s Lanjigarh alumina refinery.
The Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) recently scrapped mining proposal of OMC at Niyamgiri citing the verdict of referendum against mining there, which was conducted as per the direction of the Supreme Court in August last year.
Gandhi confronted the allegation of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government of providing limited funding to state, saying the state government is so corrupt that the Central fund never reached the targeted population.
“The amount of financial assistance that Odisha got during UPA rule is historically highest in India. We have provided money for mid-day meal scheme, MGNREGA and rice for poor. The BJD government takes away everything and does not provide it to the people,” he said.
Gandhi also held the state government responsible for multi-crore chit fund scam that has affected nearly 20 lakh depositors.
Recently, the Raghuram Rajan Committee had said that Odisha is the least developed state after Bihar. The Congress leader said, Odisha is rich in natural resources, but people are languishing in poverty because of the nexus of government officials with mining mafias.
“About Rs 60,000 crore worth of iron and manganese ore have been stolen from the state. The amount which could have been yours, went to mining mafias,” he said addressing the public at Cuttack.
During the meeting, the Gandhi scion criticised the Naveen Patnaik-led government for not providing enough job opportunities to unemployed youths of the state despite abundant resources and promises of industrialisation.
“There are about 10 lakh unemployed youths in the state, who are willing to work but have no jobs. The state lags behind all economic indicators despite all natural resources“, he said.
Reacting to Gandhi’s allegations, BJD said, the state government has taken necessary steps to prevent corruption and the tour of the Congress leader would not have any impact on voters.
The Congress is responsible for illegal mining as they permitted the leases and mining plan at the Centre.
The road show of Rahul Gandhi will turn into a flop show as wherever he campaigned, the party has lost heavily,” said Prasanna Acharya, senior BJD leader and state finance minister.
“The biggest issue we fought was for the rights of the tribals at Niyamgiri. We gave them land rights and gave them back what was originally theirs. We need to continue such fights in Odisha,” Gandhi said in a public meeting at Bhatapada near Cuttack in Odisha, on the first day of his two-day visit.
Three and a half years ago, during a meeting at Niyamgiri hill, Gandhi had assured the local Dongria tribals that he would work as their sepoy in New Delhi and would do all in his power to stop mining proposal of Odisha Mining Corporation (OMC) for supply of bauxite to Vedanta’s Lanjigarh alumina refinery.
The Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) recently scrapped mining proposal of OMC at Niyamgiri citing the verdict of referendum against mining there, which was conducted as per the direction of the Supreme Court in August last year.
Gandhi confronted the allegation of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government of providing limited funding to state, saying the state government is so corrupt that the Central fund never reached the targeted population.
“The amount of financial assistance that Odisha got during UPA rule is historically highest in India. We have provided money for mid-day meal scheme, MGNREGA and rice for poor. The BJD government takes away everything and does not provide it to the people,” he said.
Gandhi also held the state government responsible for multi-crore chit fund scam that has affected nearly 20 lakh depositors.
Recently, the Raghuram Rajan Committee had said that Odisha is the least developed state after Bihar. The Congress leader said, Odisha is rich in natural resources, but people are languishing in poverty because of the nexus of government officials with mining mafias.
“About Rs 60,000 crore worth of iron and manganese ore have been stolen from the state. The amount which could have been yours, went to mining mafias,” he said addressing the public at Cuttack.
During the meeting, the Gandhi scion criticised the Naveen Patnaik-led government for not providing enough job opportunities to unemployed youths of the state despite abundant resources and promises of industrialisation.
“There are about 10 lakh unemployed youths in the state, who are willing to work but have no jobs. The state lags behind all economic indicators despite all natural resources“, he said.
Reacting to Gandhi’s allegations, BJD said, the state government has taken necessary steps to prevent corruption and the tour of the Congress leader would not have any impact on voters.
The Congress is responsible for illegal mining as they permitted the leases and mining plan at the Centre.
The road show of Rahul Gandhi will turn into a flop show as wherever he campaigned, the party has lost heavily,” said Prasanna Acharya, senior BJD leader and state finance minister.
