Keep off Kotia, Dharmendra tells AP  

BHUBANESWAR/KOTIA :Even as Andhra Pradesh is claiming its rights over villages in Kotia panchayat of Koraput district, Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday asserted that Kotia is an integral part of Odisha and this cannot be compromised.Speaking at a public meeting, Pradhan said 28 villages under the panchayat bordering Andhra Pradesh remain backward due to gross neglect of the State Government. He said he would urge Prime Minister Narendra Modi to include the panchayat under Prime Minister development agenda which covers 115 districts in the country. 

The Minister said his visit should not be taken as a political strategy and called upon all political parties to unitedly work for development of the areas. Stating that the villages have been with Odisha since formation of the State, he said the AP Government should not interfere in these areas. In the sideline of the meeting, the representatives of different villages submitted a 12-point charter of demands to the Minister. 
Earlier, arriving at HAL helipad in Sunabeda in the morning, Pradhan directly went to Maoist prone Kotia panchayat and discussed the development works with the people of Kotia, Ganjaipadar and Turia areas.

Pradhan also visited Musaguda and met the family of the minor girl who had committed suicide after alleged rape six month back. The family demanded CBI probe into the death of the girl. Later, speaking to media persons, Pradhan said the State Government had not taken the matter seriously and the family should get justice. “I support the CBI inquiry into the entire  issue as demanded by the victim’s family,” he said. Among others, BJP leaders Bhrugu Baxipatra, Jayram Pangi and Bijoy Mishra accompanied the minister.