BHUBANESWAR: Accusing the BJD Government of promoting ‘goonda raj’, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said the BJP will enact Goonda Act to deal with habitual offenders if it comes to power in Odisha.Addressing a series of election rallies in Keonjhar and Puri districts on Saturday, Pradhan said the BJD has unleashed a reign of terror in the State by letting loose criminals who have been targeting political rivals, mostly from BJP. “The spurt in violent incidents during this election and murder of several BJP workers in the last few days are proof of the failing law and order situation in the State,” he said.
Pradhan said the first job of BJP after coming to power will be to frame a strong law on the lines of Gujarat and Mumbai to deal with anti-socials and habitual offenders. Coming down heavily on the ruling BJD for rampant loot of minerals from Odisha, Pradhan said those involved in mining scam will not be spared. “People involved in mining and chit fund scams will be sent to jail and their property attached,” he warned.
Alleging that BJD and Congress are partners in the mega mining scam, Pradhan said minerals worth `65,000 crore were looted by the two parties in Odisha. Though the State Government had sent recovery notice to mine owners, it raised no objection when the value of looted minerals was reduced to `18,000, he said.
Targeting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for his Central negligence jibe, the BJP leader said over `2,500 crore was deposited in the District Mineral Foundation (DMF) fund of Keonjhar district for its development. “This was made possible due to a Central legislation, a brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he added.