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Bhubaneswar: Continuing its voice in support of Special Category Status (SCS) for Odisha, the Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) has decided to stage human chain protest at all district headquarters on Tuesday.
The party workers would form the human chain in front of the respective district collectorates in between 10 and 11:30 am, BYJD president Sanjay Das Burma informed media on Sunday.
“The Congress’ step-motherly attitude towards Odisha is once again exposed with the unfortunate statement of Rajiv Shukla. Certainly we’ll continue our rightful struggle for the demand and make our voice heard at Delhi,” Das Burma stated.
The ruling party’s fresh move followed the Centre’s Thursday reaffirmation that Odisha does not qualify for SCS.
"It was found that states of Jharkhand, Odisha and Rajasthan do not qualify for grant of special category status based on an integrated consideration of the existing criteria," Planning Minister Rajiv Shukla had said in a written reply to the Upper House.
"In case of the request of Bihar, an inter-ministerial group (IMG) was set up in September, 2011. The IMG has submitted its report on March 30, 2012. The request of Bihar is under consideration," the Minister said.
Meanwhile a delegation of BJD MPs has met Raghuram Rajan, the chief economic advisor to PM, in Delhi and presented their demand supporting SCS to Odisha. Rajan, who will soon take over as governor of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), is currently heading the committee formed to determine poverty and backwardness of states as committed by Union finance minister during his budget speech.
