Bhubaneswar: Setting the tone for the 2019 elections, All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Rahul Gandhi today ripped apart the ruling-BJD over corruption, employment and farmers' issues during his visit to the State today.
Addressing a public gathering at Tamando in Bhubaneswar today, the AICC chief said that the Naveen Patnaik-led government in Odisha is mired in corruption and is being run by bureaucrats. Farmers are reeling under intense pressure and they are not getting what they deserve, he said.
Alleging that a few (15-20) industrialists have been granted leeway by the Naveen government to plunder the resources of the State, Rahul said 'Odisha is not poor but its people are'
"Farmers of Odisha don't need to afraid anymore. Congress will waive off farm loans within 10 days if voted to power in Odisha. We will hike the paddy MSP to Rs 2,600 per quintal and set up food processing plants in each districts of Odisha for the benefit of farmers," promised Rahul.
The AICC chief also launched a blistering attack on Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre and said Modi made several promises before elections but he forgot about the farmers and youths.
Gandhi fired his 'bureaucratic dictatorship' salvo at Naveen and Modi afresh, saying that both the PM and the CM are autocratic and have centralized power. "While RSS- the mother-ship of the BJP- is busy spreading hate across the country, Naveen never listens to his people and makes bureaucrats do the work for him. Both BJP and BJD are running on same political ideologies," he said.
"Chowkidar is chor in Delhi but chori is also rampant in Odisha. Naveen and his ministers are involved in the multi-crore chit fund scam and that's the reason why the Naveen government is working as per the BJP's instructions. The remote control of the BJD is now in the hands of 'Delhi ki Sarkar' and so, Naveen has no guts to fight against the Delhi government," said Rahul.
Responding to Rahul's jibes, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that Rahul Gandhi is trying to fool the people of Odisha with frivolous allegations.
Congress had promised loan waiver in several states and people now know the current situation in those states, Pradhan said.
Pradhan also rubbished BJP-BJD nexus allegations and said the BJP had broken all ties with the BJD in 2009. Be it the Euro Fighter issue or the Triple Talaq Bill, BJD always supported the Congress," added Pradhan.
"By levelling allegations of autocratic rule in Odisha, Rahul Gandhi won't be able to win the hearts of the people. We all know about status of Congress in the State," BJD spokesperson Samir Das said.