BHUBANESWAR: The Opposition Congress in the Assembly on Thursday slammed the ruling BJD for extending support to the Inter-State River Water Dispute (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha and demanded a statement from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on how it will protect the interest of Odisha.
Raising the issue during zero hour, Leader of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) Narasingh Mishra alleged that the ruling BJD has made a U-turn on its stand and sacrificed the interest of the State in Parliament.
The Inter-State River Water Dispute (Amendment) Bill, 2019, which was passed in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, seeks to constitute a single tribunal with different benches for resolving disputes related to different rivers.
The Odisha Assembly had opposed to the one tribunal idea of the BJP Government in wake of the Mahanadi water dispute with Chhattishgarh, Mishra said and asked the Chief Minister to explain how it will be beneficial for the State.
The Congress leader said people of Odisha are already facing water scarcity during the non-monsoon season as neighbouring Chhattishgarh has constructed several barrages and dams upstream on Mahanadi river. The single tribunal proposed by the Centre is against the interest of Odisha and anti-people, he said.
Mishra recalled that the Centre was reluctant to set up a tribunal to resolve the Mahanadi river water dispute and the State Government had to move the Supreme Court for a separate tribunal. At such a juncture, BJD MPs in Lok Sabha supported the one tribunal idea of BJP which will severely affect Odisha’s interest.
The Congress leader also came down heavily on BJD and its president Naveen over his party MPs supporting all the bills and issues raised by the BJP-led Government at the Centre.
“I request the CM to clarify to the people of Odisha if there is any hidden agenda behind BJD’s support to BJP, whether it will help develop socio-economic condition of the people in the State,” he added.