Rahul blames Orissa Govt

Expressbuzz, April 9, 2009

PHULBANI: Terming the UPA regime at the Centre as a government of the ‘aam admi’, AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi today held the then BJD-BJP coalition government responsible for the riots in Kandhamal district. ‘‘The State Government headed by our opponents not only failed to take the benefit of the centre’s welfare schemes, it also destroyed prevailing peace in Orissa,’’ the Congress star campaigner told an election meeting here. Gandhi was the second national leader after BJP’s Rajnath Singh to visit Kandhamal following the bloody communal violence which claimed at least 43 lives and witnessed burning of houses and damage of churches in the aftermath of the VHP leader Swami Lakshamananda Saraswati’s killing in August 23, 2008. Stating that there was a time when peace prevailed in Orissa, Gandhi said the situation has changed. ‘‘Orissa had a name for being a peaceful state in the country, but the situation has changed. They have tortured people and instigated communal clashes in the name of religion.’’ Telling the people that Congress always wanted the people to be united, Gandhi said the party is committed to welfare of the tribals, dalits and backward classes. Claiming that the UPA Government was for the common man, Gandhi said it had fulfilled its promises made during the last elections in 2004. ‘‘The Centre’s employment scheme provided 100 days work for the poor people, provided free meals to schoolchildren though the mid-day-meal scheme and passed a Bill which gave land rights to the forest dwellers,’’ he said. Seeking mandate for the party both in the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls, Gandhi promised that the UPA Government would ensure the welfare of tribals, dalits and other backward class people if voted back to power. Congress, he said, was also the only political party to contribute to the security and progress of the nation. BHAWANIPATNA: MAKING a scathing attack at the State Government, Congress scion Rahul Gandhi today alleged that the Government has failed to utilise even 75 per cent of the Central funds allotted to it. He further alleged that Orissa has failed in the fields of education, health services and road communication making the state one of the backward states in the country. ‘‘Orissa is still a poor state as in places like Kalahandi, more than 70 per cent of the total population continue to live below the poverty line.’’ He added: ‘‘Congress, on the other hand, has development programmes like NREGS, MDM, RTI and the Nuke deal to its credit.’’ He said that if Congress comes to power both in the state and the Centre, the country would move ahead in the path of development. He alleged that non-Congress parties are not development minded and are instead concentrating on terrorism.Among others, Central Coal Minister Santosh Bagodia, Congress MP candidate for Kalahandi Bhakta Charan Das and MLA candidate for Dharamgarh Assembly seat Rasa Bihari Behera spoke.