Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Narendra Modi-led Union government and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s administration in Odisha of colluding to exploit the state’s populace, asserting that the Congress was steadfastly opposing this collaboration. Addressing the second day of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Odisha, Gandhi pointed out the cooperation between Odisha’s ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Parliament, stating that the BJD aligns with the BJP and disrupts Congress proceedings on their behalf.
Highlighting the dire unemployment situation in Odisha, Gandhi lamented that three million individuals had been compelled to migrate to other states in search of employment opportunities, while simultaneously condemning the influx of 30 outside millionaires who exploit the state’s natural resources and assets.
Emphasizing the need to counteract the divisive rhetoric propagated by the BJP and its ideological counterpart, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Gandhi underscored the denial of justice to tribal communities, Dalits, and backward classes. Expressing his commitment to addressing the grievances of the people of Odisha, Gandhi reiterated his presence in the state to listen to their concerns. However, there was no immediate response from either the BJD or BJP to Gandhi’s allegations.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh echoed Gandhi’s sentiments, characterizing the BJD and BJP as two sides of the same coin. Ramesh disclosed conversations with BJD members, revealing their instructions from Bhubaneswar to support the Modi government’s initiatives without criticism. He warned of the potential privatization of the SAIL steel plant in Rourkela and the aluminium plants of PSU Nalco in Odisha if Modi were to be re-elected, attributing this to Modi’s agenda to sell off public sector assets built during the 1950s and 60s.
Ramesh asserted that while the Congress had played a pivotal role in nation-building, Modi’s policies favored the interests of a select few industrialists at the expense of public welfare. He cautioned that a third term for Modi would result in the sale of critical assets like the Rourkela steel plant and NALCO, stressing that only the Congress stood in opposition to such endeavors, as the BJD and BJP were aligned in their support for privatization.