Odisha Collectors asked to collect funds for BJD: Congress leader Bijay Patnaik

Odisha Congress launched a scathing attack on the central and state governments, alleging that both are making use of government officials, who are indulging in sycophancy.

Addressing a presser here on Saturday, Veteran Congress leader Bijay Patnaik said that starting from tehsildars to Collectors all are being used for various purposes. 

“Officers have been recruited through either UPSC or OPSC. They have been selected out of lakhs of examinees. All have self-respect. They actually never want to work as workers of a political party. But Naveen Babu is misusing them in various works. Collectors are told to collect funds while police officials and superintendents of police are asked to arrest the BJD leaders who are going against the party. Even journalists are not spared ahead of the elections,” Patnaik fumed

He asserted that there is a group of influential officers in the state who are dedicatedly working for the ruling party.

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The Congress veteran further warned those officials, pointing out the SC direction on alleged manipulation by an officer during the recent mayor’s election in Chandigarh. 

“Courts are still working for justice. Congress has prepared a list of officers who are working for the BJD. The party will intimate the Election Commission of India (ECI) about their names,” he warned.

However, BJD MLA Sambit Routray countered Patnaik saying, "He should point out where the officers have crossed the limits. They are all sincerely working day and night to reach out to the people. Making allegations about officials should be backed by evidence. I myself find no official doing anything wrong. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s instruction is that the administration should reach to the bottom level. They are reaching out to people to check if the latter have got benefits of schemes.”