Senior Odisha BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra today renewed his charge that Odias are ignored in getting jobs in IOCL refinery at Paradip, barely a week after he wrote to Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan voicing concern over the issue.
Mohapatra alleged that the youth from Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara districts did not got employment in IOCL's Paradip Refinery during the last three years.
"Not a single local has been given appointment in the last three years," the senior leader alleged while talking to reporters.
Asking the public sector oil company to tell how many locals have been appointed in the refinery, he said let IOCL give details of people they have recruited and from which village and panchayat.
The BJP leader also asked the company to share details of job given to anybody from Kendrapara or Jagatsinghpur district during the last three years.
Mohapatra also took exception to BJP leaders reacting to his allegation on the issue.
BJP refuted Mohapatra's allegations with party state general secretary Prithviraj Harichandan claiming that IOCL has given details of Odias posted in executive, non-executive and contractual posts.
Stating that people of the state should not be misled, Harichandan said since Mohapatra had raised the issue in a letter to the Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the party sought to make things clear.
Earlier, Mohapatra in a letter to Pradhan expressed serious concern over the manner in which the Odia youth are given less priority in jobs, works and other engagements at the refinery.
"The dreams of the educated unemployed Odia youth remain shattered. Outsiders have taken over. Truly, the party (BJP) cadres have lost their moral to fight and they have no answers," Mohapatra had claimed in the letter.
"They (the people) question our commitment to Odisha. Are you really interested for future of Odia boys? Are you working for Odisha, they ask? Are you working for Odisha or outsiders, they ask?" Mohapatra said in the letter.
Right from direct employment to indirect ones like contract work, labour and transport of goods are all being cornered or awarded to people and agencies outside Odisha, he said in the letter.
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