'BJD Sold State To Outsiders': Congress Workers Detained During March Towards Odisha Secretariat

The Congress workers tried to march towards the secretariat after breaking down police barricade, the police forcefully took the party leaders and President in a van. Later, they were released.   

New Delhi: A massive protest unfolded in Odisha's Bhubaneswar on Monday as thousands of Congress workers marched towards the state Secretariat to protest against the alleged misrule of the BJD government. Among the participants were Congress leaders such as Ajoy Kumar, the AICC in-charge of Odisha, state Congress president Sarat Pattanayak, and former OPCC presidents Jaydev Jena and Prasad Harichandan. However, the protest met resistance from the police, who halted the procession at Lower PMG, leading to a standoff between the Congress workers and law enforcement.

When the Congress workers tried to march towards the secretariat after breaking down the police barricade, the police forcefully took the party leaders and workers including its president in a van. Later, they were released, reported news agency PTI.

  

Congress leader Ajoy Kumar, addressing the media, accused the BJD government of presiding over a surge in crime rates, alleging that the state had become a haven for corruption under their rule. "The BJD has formed a gang of politicians to loot the state. The BJD has sold the state to outsiders. BJD has gifted forest land and valuable land to BJP", PTI quoted Ajoy as saying. "Like PPP (private-public partnership), Pandian-Pradhan Commission (PPC) is running the state", he alleged.   

 

He also highlighted several critical issues plaguing Odisha, including the deplorable state of healthcare services and the lack of internet connectivity in 60% of gram panchayats. He also noted the alarming number of vacant teacher positions in schools across the state. Ajoy emphasised the failure of the BJD government to address unemployment, resulting in the migration of 30 lakh people to other states in search of livelihood opportunities, as per PTI.

BJD And BJP Are Like Brothers, Looting Odisha's Mineral Resources: Sarat Pattanayak 

Sarat Pattanayak launched a scathing attack on both the BJD and BJP, accusing them of contributing to unemployment, price hikes, law and order issues, and corruption.  "BJD and BJP are like brothers and are looting the mineral resources of the state", Pattanayak remarked as per PTI. He further criticised the BJD for allegedly conceding to the BJP's demands, such as nominating Ashwini Vaishnaw to the Rajya Sabha.

 

"Congress is the only alternative and it is fighting for the people. I appeal to the people of Odisha to remove the 25-year BJD government from Odisha in the upcoming election", he said.

 

Congress MLA Taraprasad Bahinipati echoed these sentiments, alleging exploitation of marginalized communities, including the poor, Dalits, and tribals, under the BJD government, reported PTI.

 

 

Meenakshi Bahinipati, the State Congress women's wing chief, raised concerns about the rising atrocities against women during the present administration.