BARGARH: Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Friday hit out at both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for not keeping promises and said Congress will keep its word if the party returns to power in the State.

Addressing a mammoth gathering (Parivartan Sankalp Samabesh) at Sarsara on the outskirts of Bargarh, the Gandhi scion said the Odisha CM had announced to set up cold storages and ensure water irrigation to agricultural land but farmers continue to commit suicide. Prime Minister Narendra Modi raises farmers’ issues in all his speeches but not a single day passes without suicide by farmers, he said.

Targeting Modi for waiving `3.5 lakh crore loan of big industrialists, Gandhi alleged that when the demand of farm loan waiver comes up, both Modi and Naveen reject it. Claiming that Congress delivers whatever it promises, the Congress president said the party implemented all its promises for farmers in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan after its return to power recently.

“In Chhattisgarh, we made three promises - loan waiver of farmers, hike in Minimum Support Price (MSP) on paddy and return of land acquired from the scheduled tribes for industries if the units are not set up within five years,” he said and added that all the three promises have been kept.
Stating that the promise of farm loan waiver has been implemented in the three States, Gandhi said the Congress can replicate this for Odisha if voted to power.

Chhattisgarh Government announced loan waiver within six hours of Congress coming to power while MSP on paddy was increased to `2500 per quintal in two to three days, he said and added that the land acquired from the tribals for industry proposed to be set up by Tatas has been returned to the owners. Describing all three decisions as historic, Gandhi criticised the BJP led Government at the Centre for trying to amend the Land Acquisition Act thrice to take away land from the tribals and give it to industrialists.

Gandhi lashed out at the Naveen Patnaik Government in Odisha which he alleged is being run by five to six officers. “Five to six officers run Naveen Patnaik Government which is being remote controlled by Prime Minister Modi,” he said.
Targeting Odisha Government for its inaction in the chit fund and mining scams, Gandhi announced that all those involved will be brought to book if Congress forms Government in Odisha. He is also criticised Naveen for his failure to create employment opportunities which is forcing the youths to migrate to other States.

Alleging that both Modi and Naveen have neglected health and education sectors by bringing in private players, Gandhi announced that right to health will be ensured if his party comes to power in the next elections. “Naveen Government has also failed to provide employment to the youth. At least 1.5 lakh government posts including 30,000 school teachers and 5,000 medical staff are lying vacant in the state and these will be filled up,” he said.

Among others, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, AICC Observer Jitendra Singh, OPCC president Niranjan Patnaik, Congress Leader of Opposition in Odisha Narsingha Mishra and AICC secretary Sk Mastan Vali were present.