Bhubaneswar, September 21: BJD president and Leader of Opposition Naveen Patnaik on Monday said the party will raise issues including MMDR Amendment Act, textbook printing blunder and plight of farmers in the State during the Monsoon Session of the State Assembly, starting Tuesday.
Chairing the BJD Legislature Party meeting to finalise the strategy to corner the Government, the former Chief Minister said that this Government has failed in all fronts, except in spreading false narratives.
“More than two years have passed, since the BJP Govt took over. Does anyone feel the change, they claimed? A resounding No. This Government, has failed in all fronts, except in spreading false narratives and misusing public money,” said Patnaik.
Maintaining that failure, has become the hallmark of this BJP Government, Patnaik, said “There are many issues, starting from the deteriorating law and order situation, to failure in flood management, price rise, poor fiscal management and low budget expenditure etc.”
“But our major focus will be MMDR Amendment Act. Text Book printing blunder and plight of farmers in the State,” said Patnaik.
“As you know, MMDR Amendment Act was passed in the Parliament, in haste, without discussion. The silence of Odisha Government and the 20 BJP MPs, we have sent to Parliament was all the more painful. MMDR Amendment Act has taken away, our rights over our land, over our resources and destroyed the dreams of our youth,” Patnaik told the party MLAs.
He said that though he had written a letter to the Chief Minister, demanding, an all-party meeting and a special session of the Assembly, but it went in vain.
“BJD, cannot be a mute spectator to this and will fight, till our rights are restored,” asserted Patnaik.
Patnaik also highlighted the massive mistakes found in the school textbooks in the State.
“Students are the flagbearers of our Nation. If their education is lost then the country's future is lost. It is unfortunate that there are thousands of mistakes in the Government Text Books. It’s an irony that, neither is the Government fixing responsibility, nor are the students being given the corrected books. It’s no less than criminal negligence,” said Patnaik.
He demanded that Government should take the responsibility for such a colossal blunder and the Minister in charge, should resign.
“Coming to the farmers issue - non-availability of fertilizers and seeds on time and the anti-farmer’s policy, in procurement of paddy speaks volumes about the Government’s apathy to farmers’ woes. It is unfortunate that despite the claim of a double engine Government, the Food Corporation of India, is not lifting rice from Odisha,” said former CM Patnaik.
Patnaik also highlighted the burden of rising prices.
“On the other side, the common man is bearing the burden of rising prices. The sharp increase in the cost of essential goods is putting immense pressure on household budgets and affecting lakhs of families,” added Patnaik.
He also hit out at the BJP Government over the introduction of MDR on UPI payment systems.
“The recent MDR on UPI payments will put small traders under further financial pressure. They already have thin margins, and any additional cost will make it even harder for them to sustain their business. There is also a risk that these additional costs could eventually be passed on to consumers, further increasing the burden on households. We must ask for strong safeguards for the merchants and the public and more clarity on the MDR,” said Patnaik.
Patnaik said, “Another important issue which concerns the general public, is the Special Intensive Revision. The deletion of a large number of genuine voters is a serious issue, against which we should fight tooth and nail.”
“The BJP Government has failed to deliver. As the principal Opposition, it’s our duty to expose this and educate our people about the dismal performance of the double-engine sarkar,” Patnaik told BJD MLAs.
