BERHAMPUR: The BJP on Thursday came down heavily on the Odisha government’s handling of the border issue with Andhra Pradesh in Manikpatana village under Gangabada panchayat of Gajapati district. Interacting with Gajapati Collector Lingaraj Panda and former sarpanch Haribandhu Karji at Parlakhemundi, the party’s state vice-president Bhrugu Baxipatra along with other leaders expressed displeasure at the delayed response of the ruling BJD while AP kept making cross-border overtures.
A case has been lodged against Karji, who has been in the radar of AP government, at Manjusha Police Station of AP. Talking to mediapersons on the day, Baxipatra raised questions as to why no FIR has been lodged even a week after AP Minister Appalla Raju and his team forcibly reopened the anganwadi centre on disputed land and misbehaved with Odisha officials. The silence of Odisha government has demoralised people in border areas, he said.
He urged the government to resolve the conflict at the earliest while executing developmental programmes in the border areas. On Wednesday, a team of tribal leaders led by Bhalachandra Sadangi visited Manikpatana and held a meeting of Odia people residing in borders areas. Criticising the silence of Gajapati administration, they decided to sit on dharna in front of the Collector’s office from September 20.