Odisha Govt Is Anti-Tribal As It Once Conspired To Take Away Tribal Land: Dharmendra Pradhan

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Odisha Govt Is Anti-Tribal As It Once Conspired To Take Away Tribal Land: Dha...

by Pabitra Mohan Senapaty

NEWS HIGHLIGHTS

The Odisha government is an anti-tribal and anti-backward caste government. Even though the Constitution says the land of tribals cannot be sold, the BJD government hatched a conspiracy to take away land from the tribals and bring them down.

Deogarh, Apr 30: The Odisha government is an anti-tribal and anti-backward caste government. Even though the Constitution says the land of tribals cannot be sold, the BJD government hatched a conspiracy to take away land from the tribals and bring them down.

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan alleged this by putting a poser, "If the Odisha Cabinet had not decided to sell tribal lands?"
Pradhan severely criticized BJD Lok Sabha candidate Pradeep Majhi for making a false statement based on a fake video of Amit Shah.

"While the video has been proven fake, a case has been registered against Telangana Chief Minister. It has been a practice of Gumasta to spread lies during the election campaign. It is disappointing that Majhi gave the statement based on the fake video at the behest of imported Gumasta," said Pradhan.

He urged the Chief Electoral Officer to take legal action against Majhi for making a concocted and falst statement, which is moving on social media. He said the BJP strongly condemned Majhi's statement.

The Union Minister said that there can't be a criminal offence more than making wrong comments in the name of the Home Minister of the country.

He said the Odisha government doesn't deserve to talk about tribals' protection. "Who made the Cabinet decision to sell tribal land? If the Chief Minister has any morals, he should speak his party's words. Did not he take a Cabinet decision to sell the tribal land last year to give it to the capitalists? Didn't the Cabinet change its decision under the pressure of tribals? Who conspired to sabotage tribals by changing the constitution, wanted to know the Union Minister.

Pradhan slammed the State government saying it filed more than 50,000 excise and forest-related and other cases against the tribals and subsequently promised to withdraw the cases.

"Will not tribal people collect Mahul and other forest products to eke out their living? However, the State government filed cases against the tribals for collecting forest products and, on the other hand, giving a free hand to the liquor mafia of Jharkhand to enhance its excise business," pointed out Pradhan.

Slamming the government for not holding a tribal advisory committee (TAC) meeting, Pradhan exuded confidence that tribals would give a befitting reply to the BJD government this time.

Regarding OBC reservation, Pradhan said the Naveen Patnaik government has emerged first in the country for not providing 27 percent reservation to the category.

Raising another issue, Pradhan said Ganjam has become the birthplace of Dadans (migrant labourers) and Hinjili has taken center stage even though Naveen Patnaik was CM five times. A similar situation has prevailed in Kantabanji too.

While the Chief Minister has filed nomination papers for Hinjili today, Pradhan demanded that the Chief Minister publish a white paper on what he has done for the employment of the youth of Hinjili during the long 24-year rule.

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Incidents Of Violence Mar Second Phase Polls In Odisha

by Hemanta Pande

Bhubaneswar, May 20: Incidents of violence marred the second phase polls in Odisha, even as the state recorded 60.72 per cent voter turnout by 7 pm.

The voter turnout figure is most likely to cross the 70 per cent mark after the final computation following receipt of details about polling statistics from all the booths.

Reports from Bargarh said an auto-rickshaw driver was killed by two persons at Sarsara village while he was carrying some voters on his vehicle to the polling booth. The deceased was identified as Biswanath Mirdha.

Family members of the deceased alleged that it was a political murder executed by the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Inspector General of Police, Himanshu Lal said the murder took place because of “personal enmity” between the deceased and the accused.

Local BJD assembly candidate Debesh Acharya said the reason behind the murder will be ascertained after the police investigation.

The broad daylight killing sparked tension in the area for quite some time. The family members of the deceased and others created ruckus and demanded an immediate halt of voting in the village. The police, however, handled the situation quite well by whisking away the family members and other agitated people from the crime spot.

Reports said tension prevailed at Turum village in Ganjam district as a clash erupted between BJD and BJP after alleged booth rigging attempts by BJD workers. The incident occurred at booth no 47 of Beruanbadi village under Turum police limits.

The voting was initially peaceful since morning. However, some BJD workers allegedly entered the booth for rigging. A clash erupted inside the booth when the BJP agents opposed the BJD workers. Irate over this, the BJD workers allegedly attacked the BJP workers. The entire act has been captured on a mobile camera.

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Odisha CM's Office, Residence Under Grip Of Corrupt Coterie: PM Modi

by Hemanta Pande

Bhubaneswar, May 20: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said that the Odisha Chief Minister’s Office and residence were taken over by "a corrupt coterie" and the backbone of this mechanism would be broken when the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) comes to power on June 10.

Addressing public meetings in Dhenkanal and Cuttack Lok Sabha seats after holding a roadshow in Puri this morning, PM Modi launched a scathing attack on Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his close aide VK Pandian.

“A handful of corrupt persons have captured the CM's residence and office. Small workers of the BJD have now become crorepatis," PM Modi said.

The Prime Minister said a mafia in Odisha is controlling everything and not allowing anyone to compete. “Once BJP comes to power on June 10, its backbone will be broken,” he said.

PM Modi said though the state is rich in mineral resources, its people are distressed. He alleged that the BJD government is not allowing the people of Odisha to benefit from the state's mineral wealth.

Stating that Odisha received Rs 26,000 crore from the district mineral fund (DMF), PM Modi said the money should have been spent on roads, schools and drinking water, but the BJD government has misused it.

Raising the issue of Ratna Bhandar, the treasure trove of Shree Jagannath temple in Puri, PM Modi said people are discussing how the keys of Ratna Bhandar have gone to Tamil Nadu.

“When our keys of houses are lost, we pray to Lord Jagannath and find them within one or two hours with the Lord’s blessing. But the keys of Lord Jagannath Ratna Bhandar are missing, and it has been six years now. The report of the commission of inquiry into the missing keys of Ratna Bhandar has been suppressed for six years as the keys have gone to Tamil Nadu," he said.

“The BJD government and those who have captured the Chief Minister are directly responsible for this,” he alleged.

"I assure the people that once the BJP government comes to power, the entire truth will come out and we will make the report public. Our service to Lord Jagannath will begin from this work,” he added.

On raising of paddy MSP, PM Modi said, "Once BJP forms government in Odisha, paddy MSP per quintal will be increased to Rs 3,100 and within 48 hours, farmers will get the money credited to their bank account,"

PM Modi reiterated that a double-engine government will be formed in the state after the elections.

“Vote for BJP, and Modi guarantees that any son or daughter of Odisha will be made the chief minister of Odisha. The dual engine government will be sworn in on June 10 in Odisha," PM Modi said.