Bhubaneswar: Congress will shortly call for a State-wide bandh for the cause of Mahanadi, informed Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Nirajan Patnaik on Saturday.
Patnaik while addressing a presser today slammed both the Centre and ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) led Odisha government for the Mahanadi water crisis.
Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of supporting Chhattisgarh government, Patnaik said that the former refrained from giving any assurance to Odisha during his recent visit to Cuttack.
Besides, Odisha government did nothing to protect the interests of the people of the State till 2015 and is now shedding crocodile tears.
Around 25 industries, who were keen to set up their units in Odisha, have now turned to Chhattisgarh.
Reacting to OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik's statements, BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb stated, "It seems that Congress changes its ideologies whenever there is a change of guard as the party under the leadership of Prasad Harichandan was completely mum on the issue."
BJP spokesperson Golak Mohapatra on the other hand stated that all the barrages and dam projects on Mahanadi were taken up by Chhattisgarh during UPA regime.
"Congress is the walking stick of ruling BJD. It was only after NDA-led BJP government came to power in 2014 that it wrote to Odisha whether Chhattisgarh had obtained approvals or not. Congress should first answer the people of the State," said Mohapatra.