Rourkela: The BJP today took a swipe at the Naveen Patnaik-led government saying it is neck-deep in corruption.
“In spite of receiving maximum Central assistance, the BJD leaders still grumble that the state is deprived of adequate assistance. Even they have gone to the extent of alleging stepmotherly attitude of the Centre towards the state. The state government, which has been hoodwinking the people on the pretext of ‘Central negligence’, is now on the back foot,” BJP state general secretary Bhrugu Buxipatra told media persons on the first day of the two-day BJP state executive meeting here.
He said the state government has failed to properly implement Centrally sponsored programmes.
Talking about the corruption, Buxipatra said “The ruling party leaders and some Odia cine stars are mired in chit fund scam.
“The BJP in its state executive meeting today passed a resolution and decided to engage about 40 lakh workers and members in a statewide agitation very soon by raking up these issues at the grassroots level,” he informed.
In his reaction, BJD spokesperson Amar Prasad Satpathy said it was the political programme of the state BJP without any agenda for the people.
“The saffron party is trying to broaden its party base in the state for the ensuing panchayat elections,” he observed.
Referring to the chit fund scam and ration card issues raised by the BJP, Satpathy said the BJP talks about the complicity of political leaders and some Odia cine actors in the chit fund scam. But it has not said a single word on duped investors.
“The state government has come up with specific rules to refund the money to the small investors. The CBI and the state investigation agencies are probing into the chit fund scam. The state government is actively cooperating with these agencies to ensure that those involved in the scam would be punished under the law,” he pointed out.
Admitting that there are some irregularities in the ration card distribution, Satpathy said the state government has started the process to disburse ration cards to the genuine beneficiaries and lodge FIR against the fake beneficiaries who have fraudulently got the ration cards. Besides, it will also initiate similar action against the government employees who are involved in this illegal activity and have obtained ration cards.