Odisha a dreamland for cheats: Niranjan

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar_, Sep 1:

Former PCC President Niranjan Patnaik has slammed the Odisha government for allowing different forms of swindling and fraudulent activities to prosper right under the nose of the government and the police.

Speaking to reporters after meeting AICC president Sonia Gandhi in Delhi on Monday, Patnaik said he appraised his party president about the state of affairs in Odisha including death of infants and revelations of different fraudulent activities every day.

“While lakhs were cheated by the chit fund companies, who thrived with the patronage of the ruling dispensation in the state, now scores of cheats masquerading as God are coming to the lime light. These Babas were allowed free reign to trick thousands of gullible people, encroach public land and to build empires consisting of ill-gotten wealth, sexual escapades and sleaze. Where was the state machinery when these Babas were spreading their tentacles?” queried the senior Congress leader.

Most aspects of public life have now passed on to mafia, middlemen and wheeler-dealers. In fact, what has come to light so far is the tip of the ice berg, alleged Patnaik.

Taking on the Chief Minister, Niranjan said: “Naveen Babu has no clue to administration and himself behaves like a Baba and it is time for the people to understand the true character of the regime of Naveen Babu and not continue to be cheated.”