Briefing mediapersons on premises of the Assembly, Purohit said, "I have presented the evidence on illegal sand mining and involvement of the Paikmal Tehsildar. I hope that the Revenue Minister and the State government will take appropriate action."
In his reaction, Mohanty said, "The video clearly shows the Tehsildar is taking bribe. The department would soon recommend the Chief Minister to take strict action against Janakinath."
In the video it is shown that Janakinath is taking bribe from sand smugglers to facilitate illegal sand mining.
To prove his claim, Singh stated he has a video in which the saffron party members are seen provoking Brunda Sahu to take the extreme step. "I can identify the BJP activists featured in the video," the minister said, adding that he will hand over the video to police for a probe.
Refuting the allegation BJP MLA Pradip Purohit said, "The ruling party is levelling baseless charges and the video is a conspiracy to malign BJP’s image.”
He further questioned, “Has the saffron party instigated 4,000 farmers who committed suicide in the State during past 17 years?”
There have been irregularities in pesticide and seed purchase, said the BJP MLA adding that first of all, the State government should set these things right.
Following Brunda Sahu’s death on November 1, resentment has been brewing over crop loss due to pest attacks.
In Bargarh district, so far four farmers have killed themselves in the past one week allegedly over crop loss.
https://youtu.be/id4ss8euHMg
The first phase of results for the Odisha Panchayat elections was officially announced today.
The issue was raised in the Assembly today during Zero Hour when senior BJP lawmaker Pradip Purohit accused the ruling BJD of forging an "unholy nexus" with the Congress to throttle the growth of BJP in Odisha.
"I see a new political equation emerging in Odisha politics. The ruling BJD has worked in tandem with the Congress to prevent BJP's growth in the state," Purohit said while reacting on the denial of permission by Speaker Niranjan Pujari on a debate over post-poll violence.
Purohit also alleged there was every possibility that the BJD would join hands with the Congress in the 2019 general elections as they have done so in the Panchayat elections this time in Odisha.
While results of the Sarpanch, Panchayat Samity and Ward Members were officially declared at different block headquarters today, the State Election Commission would announce the Zilla Parishad election results on February 25.
Ruling BJD member Samir Dash from Nimapara in Puri district rejected Purohit's allegations and claimed he could provide evidence of BJP candidates getting support of Congress activists in his home constituency.
"Though both BJP and Congress claim to have separate identities, they join hands when it comes to contesting BJD candidates. This has happened in Zilla Parishad Zone No. 21 at Nimapara.
"Here Congress supporters openly campaigned for BJP candidates. Is it not sufficient to prove that both national parties had joined hands to work against a regional party like BJD?" Dash asked.
Stating that the Nimapara incident had been repeated across the state, Dash said BJP's "evil design" to defeat BJD would fail.
He also alleged that BJP and Congress had joined hands in the ZP elections at Daringbadi in Kandhamal district.
The Urban Development Department has written to all commissioners and executive officers for appointment of ward officers in each ward in their respective civic bodies.
The ward officers will listen to the grievances of people and at the same time ensure that government services reach them at their doorsteps.
The officers will try to resolve the grievances of residents between 10 AM and 12 noon every day. As per plans, there will be special teams to address issues pertaining to drinking water, drainage, road repairs, street lighting and other essential services. There are plans to roll out the ward officer initiative from September 1.
However, many are still skeptical about people getting services at their doorsteps even though officers are appointed as the tenure of 101 municipalities out of 112 has already expired and its now nearly three years that there are no elected representatives.
This has provided an opportunity to the opposition parties to target the State government.
“Like Biju Yuva Vahini, the ruling BJD wants to appoint ward officers on government’s money for its own publicity ahead of the civic body polls in the State,” alleged BJP MLA Pradip Purohit.
“At a time when the councilors, who are the elected representatives, could not do anything in the last three years what will be the commitment of ward officers towards people?” questioned Congress leader, Panchanan Kanungo.
Rebutting the allegations of opposition members, senior BJD leader Pratap Deb claimed that ‘Opposition parties will always criticise instead of praising the government. If civic body polls are not held then it doesn’t imply that all the developmental works including sanitation measures will stop at ward level. Government is committed to provide regular services to people.”
Though the Centre has fixed Minimum Support Price (MSP) at Rs 1868 per quintal of paddy, the farmers are not getting the benefits. The millers are forcing them to sell their produce after deductions ranging 2 to 10 kgs per quintal, alleged Purihit, the State President of BJP Kishan Morcha.
He futher alleged that the millers are providing the benefit derived after such deductions to the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).
BJP Kishan Morcha President Pradip Purohit targets #Odisha govt over farmers' issues; says, "Farmers are in distress over 'Katni Chhatni' & token system in paddy procurement. They are forced to sell paddy at low price as govt does not have control over millers."
— OTV (@otvnews) December 11, 2020
“What the State government has done for the development of farmers in the last 21 years. Though it is passing resolutions in Assembly, it has failed to ensure that farmers sell their produce at MSP fixed by the Centre,” said Purohit.
Millers are directly interfering in the procurement process and forcing farmers to sell their paddy after deducting 2 to 10 kgs per quintal. What step has the Odisha government taken to stop such exploitation, questioned the BJP leader.
It is pertinent to mention here that the Odisha government in Cabinet meeting chaired by the Chief Minister here on Wednesday passed a resolution to press for formulation of MSP on all crops aimed at doubling the farmers’ income.
During the Cabinet meet, the State government had also decided to move the Centre for implementation of MS Swaminathan committee report on minimum support price (MSP).
Meanwhile, the BJD leaders could not be contacted over the allegations levelled by BJP’s Pradip Purohit.