By Bizodisha Bureau, Bhubaneswar, September 11, 2015 : Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a frontal attack on the ruling Bijiu Janata Dal [BJD] in Odisha saying it was most insensitive towards the burning problems of the state, like infant child deaths, farmers suicide and slum dwellers’s problems.

Earlier on thursday, he had slammed he the Narendra Modi government at the Save the Farmers’ rally in Bargarh, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi saying that the BJP led government is quite insenstive to farmers issues.

He also had accused the Naveen Patnaik government of utterly neglecting the interests of the farmers and did nothing to improve the healthcare infrastructure in the state.

“The UPA government generously provided huge funds for upliftment of the farmers and healthcare facilities in the state. But, what I see here the two sectors continue to suffer from numerous problems which are manmade and deliberate,” he said.

The Gandhi scion also alleged that the education system in the state was also in doldrums.

After his return from Bargarh to Bhubaneswar today, Mr Gandhi went to Sishu Bhawan in Cuttack where 62 infants died in just 10 days last month. He interacted with the parents of the patients and hospital authorities.
From Sishu Bhawan, he rushed back to Bhubaneswar and met the party leaders at Congress Bhawan.

According to Congress state vice president Ranjib Biswal, Mr Gandhi advised all the leaders to work together to ensure that the party regains its old rhythm in the state

From Congress Bhawan, Rahul went to State Guest House and heard the grievances of duped chit fund depositors.

Mr Gandhi, who on Thursday arrived in Bargarh on two-day visit to the state, began his trip by meeting the bereaved family members of Sananda Kathar, a local farmer who recently committed suicide due to huge debt-burden.

He later participated in “Save the Farmers” padayatra programme. During his padayatra, Mr Gandhi alleged that the BJP government, instead of thinking about welfare of the farmers, – was worried how to acquire the land of the peasants without paying due compensation and other support to them.

“After Narendra Modi came to power, his sole mission has been to acquire the land of farmers at any cost. He brought the Land Bill which is completely against the interests of the farmer. The Bill provides for acquisition of farmland even without the consent of farmers. It does not look after the interests of the workforce who are engaged in farmlands. We opposed it and tried to ensure that the rights of the farmers over their lands and the agri-labourers were not usurped,” said the Congress vice president.

Mocking at the “Achhe din aane waale hain” slogan of Narendra Modi during the 2014 elections campaign, Mr Gandhi said after Mr Modi came to power he just thought of acche din (good days) of industrialists, not the poor.

“After he became Prime Minister, Modi Ji has been trying to grab lands farmers’ to hand over them to industrialists. You (the Prime Minister) promised Achhe din for all. Now, one and half a year of your rule, people are asking you where is achhe din?” he observed.

The Gandhi scion stated that the Prime Minister’s slogan “Make in India” campaign had just proved to be political gimmick as “he has now embarked upon a faulty policy that will destroy the very fabric of rural economy,” he added.

Mr Gandhi did not spare the Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik and criticized him on the same farmer issue.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik share a very good relationship. They act in tandem not only to grab farmlands but also forest and mineral resources to please their industrialist friends. The Congress would not allow them to succeed in their designs,” said Mr Gandhi.

He called upon the farmers to launch agitation against the Centre and the state government to protest their inaction to address their grievances.
During his seven and half-km padayatra from Debahal village to Attabira near here, Mr Gandhi stopped briefly at three places and addressed the public. At all the three places, he trained his gun at Prime Minister Mr Modi and Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik.

Pradesh Congress Committee president Prasad Harichandan, Leader of the Opposition Narasingha Mishra, former chief minister Hemananda Biswal, former PCC chief Sarat Patnaik and many other senior leaders of the party joined Rahul’s padayatra.