PM misleading people on Mahanadi: BJD

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi put the blame on the Odisha Government for the ongoing Mahanadi river water dispute, the BJD on Sunday described his statement as  “untrue, misleading and conf
PM misleading people on Mahanadi: BJD

BHUBANESWAR:A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi put the blame on the Odisha Government for the ongoing Mahanadi river water dispute, the BJD on Sunday described his statement as  “untrue, misleading and confusing”.

Stating that Modi’s statement on the Mahanadi river water dispute was meant to confuse the people, BJD vice-president and Rajya Sabha member Prasanna Acharya said PM’s remark showed no commitment. “What the Prime Minister said regarding the tribunal is sad and surprising,” Acharya said and added that the Odisha Government demanded formation of a tribunal for resolution of the dispute.

Acharya said Union Minister Nitin Gadkari had talked to the State Government during hearing of the Mahanadi case at the Supreme Court. He said the Centre is bringing a Bill on single tribunal for all inter-state water disputes in the Parliament and the Mahanadi water dispute should be referred to the tribunal.
But the Bill has only been introduced in the Lok Sbha and is yet to be passed in the Parliament, Acharya said and alleged that Modi’s statement was an attempt to mislead people by presenting false information.
However, BJP State president Basant Panda refuted the allegations and said, “Those who failed to provide irrigation facilities to farmers, are now shedding crocodile tears.”

Meanwhile, Modi’s visit seems to have rejuvenated the state BJP with the state president saying that it will have a big impact. “Modiji’s visit has definitely worked and it will have a big impact on whole of the State and our Mission 120+ will be a success,” he said.

However, BJD and Congress said the visit will have no impact on the State. “People of Odisha are very much impressed by the Naveen Patnaik led Government and nobody’s mantra is going to work here,” Acharya said.

Congress, however, reiterated its charge that there is a tacit understanding between BJD and BJP. Stating that BJD is afraid of CBI inquiry into the chit fund scam while BJP is apprehensive about losing support during formation of next government at the Centre, president of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik said BJD and BJP require each other for their political goals.

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