Accusing the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre of betraying ‘aam aadmi’, Chief Minister and BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik on Thursday said it has no right to rule the country.
The UPA government has failed on all fronts and lost the trust of the common man. It has no right to continue in the government at the Centre, Naveen said while addressing a meeting here marking the end of the ruling BJD’s 10-day padayatra.
In a scathing attack on the Centre, the Chief Minister said the unrelenting price rise of different commodities, including diesel, is the result of its wrong economic policy. Regulation on LPG for domestic use has come at a time when the people are already reeling under unprecedented price hike. The rural people are the worst hit by the wrong economic policy.
Describing the UPA government as symbol of corruption, he said it has surpassed records of all previous Congress governments at the Centre.
Alleging that Odisha has been a victim of political discrimination by the Centre, the Chief Minister said all legitimate demands of the State, including special category status and special assistance for KBK and other backward regions have been ignored.
Dismissing the Congress claim that the State had received more Central assistance during the UPA government, he said the Centre had taken more than what it has given to the State. The State gives a lot to the Centre in terms of tax, royalty and earnings from railway but gets a little. Under the federal system, the Centre is duty bound to assist the states but Odisha has been denied its genuine entitlements, he said, adding that the ruling BJD will continue to fight for its rights.
Claiming that his government is working for the overall development of the State, the Chief Minister highlighted the measures taken to reduce poverty, increase the irrigation potential and improve the socio-economic condition of the Scheduled Tribes and Scheduled Castes.
Naveen said his government is equally committed to the development of the urban poor. He promised settlement of the landless poor in urban areas in an apparent bid to woo them before the next election to the urban local bodies.