Not Promises, but Deception: A Year of Misrule

BJP Government’s Anniversary Marred by Corruption

*Ashmita Replaced by Arrogance: Bhakta Das*

BHUBANESWAR: There has been no change in the system although Mohan government completes one year term after the end of 25 year BJD rule in the state, said Odisha PCC President Bhakta Charan Das at a press conference today.

Stating that Mohan government has heaped on the people assurances on the occasion of one year completion,he said the BJP government has cheated people with the name numerous assurances. He said lack of co-ordination and egoistic rule has derailed the system all over the state. While BJP government is celebrating one year rule in the massive advertisement fanfare,the fact is that the corruption has engulfed from top to bottm.It is a political gimmick to observe one year rule by incurring huge tax payer money.

Das also said, current BJP government has not fulfilled its promises though it has come to power on Odia Ashmita. He hinted the senior leaders of the party will hold press conferences across the state to expose the BJP government cheating. He gave a list of the leaders who will undertake this campaign at various places.

Alleging that BJD and BJP are two sides of the same coin PCC President Das said BJD is allaying BJP in all respect giving the example of Waqf Bill passed in the parliament. On ‘Operation Sindoor’,he charged the Modi government of centering massive politicization. He said while all parties demands special session of parliament BJP has distanced from it.

Referring to the huge pollution at Angul-Talcher and Sambalpur the PCC president, has warned that it would not shut its eyes while not opposing industrialization. Expressing concerned over outbreak of diarrhea in Jajpur, he said a fact finding committee from PCC will go to the ground and submit the report.

At this press meet former PCC President Prasad Harichandan has submitted charge sheet report to Das.

Speaking on the occasion Harichandan said how the state government is full of corruption at all level when it gave assurance to the people to eradicate corruption. He gave a list of senior officers including one IAS officer who were taking bribes under Mohan government. He accused the Mohan government of not taking action against South India based contractors who have looted the state during Naveen rule.

Listing out failures of Mohan government he pointed out that chit fund depositors are yet to get their money back despite assurances by the Mohan government. Similarly,he demanded an enquiry on Katni and Chhatni’ in paddy procurement. Stating that Subhdra Yoyana was nothing but a ‘lollipop’ like Naveen Patnaik did in his term.

He said crores of rupees have been seized from the Chief Engineer of the Rural Development Department, and from junior engineers to the Chief Engineer, many involved in construction and development projects have been exposed as corrupt. An IAS officer was caught taking a ₹10 lakh bribe and arrested by the Vigilance Department following public complaints.

He alleged that an ED Assistant Director was caught taking a bribe in Odisha by the CBI. The Mohan government, which promised to return money to chit fund depositors within 18 months, has failed to even identify the affected depositors, with no records available. The government has also ignored flaws in the paddy procurement system, where 8-9 kg of paddy per quintal is deducted, and no one knows who benefits from this. Congress demanded a probe into who profits from these deductions.

Under the Subhadra Yojana,he stated the BJP had promised ₹50,000 vouchers to women for financial empowerment, to be spent over two years. However, after coming to power, the government reduced it to ₹5,000 per year in two installments over five years. Like the previous government, the Mohan government has deceived women with false promises. Similarly, PM Narendra Modi has set a record for deceiving the nation, Congress alleged.

BJP promised to build Odia Bhawans in all metro cities but has remained silent on this,he said,adding fishermen were also cheated with false promises.

The promise to introduce Odia-medium education in law, medical, and engineering courses has not been fulfilled. The government vowed to open the Ratna Bhandar of Lord Jagannath and conduct an inventory, but a year later, there’s no progress,he alleged.

Attacking the BJP government Harichandan stated that the promise to promote the handloom and weaving industry by setting up three integrated parks in Western Odisha, creating over 51,000 jobs, has vanished. “The government has failed to provide employment to the unemployed, youth, students, and women. In Balangir, 3,000 students applied for Home Guard jobs, reflecting the unemployment crisis has fueled labor migration from Odisha”,he added.

Harichandan further alleged that thousands of crores worth of contracts were awarded to South Indian contractors by various state government departments during the previous Naveen Patnaik government. Despite widespread corruption in these deals, the Mohan government has taken no action against these contractors. The Chief Minister’s silence and administrative inertia have doubled the corruption.

On Modi government’s performances Harichandan lashed at Narendra Modi for cheating countrymen in all respect. Harichandan criticized the government for not fulfilling its promises on Ratna Bhandar as well ‘Ganati and Manati’.He said government has also disappointed unemployed youth in the state and listed failure of Ayusman yoyana and government not fulfilling its promise in old age allowances.

Under the previous BJD government’s Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana, people benefited, but insurance companies and private hospitals exploited the scheme. The BJP’s Ayushman Bharat scheme is so complex that poor patients may die without treatment, Congress claimed.

The BJP promised ₹3,000 monthly old-age pensions and ₹3,500 for those above 80 but has deceived the elderly. Das said the BJD and BJP governments are two sides of the same coin. Despite being the opposition, the BJD acts as a BJP ally, supporting them covertly, as seen in their backing of the Waqf Board Bill and silence during key issues like the Poonch massacre and Operation Sindoor, which Congress called a publicity stunt.

Another speaker Niranjan Patnaik accused Mohan government of not fulfilling its promise to keep Odia Ashmita which had become election plank of BJP.He said all sections of the society are disappointed with the current BJP government.

The PCC chief Das said, Senior leaders, including Leader of the Congress Legislature Party Ramachandra Kadam (Balangir), Niranjan Patnaik (Khurda), Jayadev Jena (Puri), Prasad Harichandan (Berhampur), Taraprasad Bahinipati (Balasore), Jagannath Patnaik (Sambalpur), Ananta Prasad Sethi (Kendrapara), and CS Rajan Ekka (Rayagada), will hold press conferences in their respective districts to unmask the government’s deceitful and corrupt nature.

Among others drafting committee members Tara Prasad Bahini Pati, Anant Prasad Sethy,Jaganath Patnaik,Rajni Mohanty and Jayshree Patra were present.