Odisha BJP to demand white paper on drought, not to field RS nominee

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Nov 29:

Odisha unit of BJP will make drought and farmer suicide its main agenda in the upcoming winter session of Odisha Assembly and demand a white paper on both the issues. Besides, it will not field a candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-election given its lack of numbers in the assembly.

The decisions were taken today in the BJP legislature party meeting held at party headquarters in Bhubaneswar.

Besides, party MLAs discussed on the strategy for the assembly session and decided to take up other important issues including ration card distribution and irregularities in NFSA enrollment, plight of various types of teachers and the law and order situation in the state etc.

“This is one of the worst droughts in Odisha after 1965. Farmers continue to commit suicide. We are going to make drought and farmer suicide our main agenda in the assembly. We would also emphasize on issues such as electricity crisis and issues pertaining to Gana Sikshaks, block grant teachers and contract teachers,” said BJP MLA Pradeep Purohit.

“There are large scale irregularities in distribution of ration cards and people have locked up panchayats at many places. The law and order situation has gone for a toss. Innocent civilians have been killed in the name of Maoists in Kalahandi. In Bheden, the cops themselves murdered a citizen. No action has been taken against ministers for violating section-144. Government has proved to be ineffective in Cuttack Sishu Bhavan deaths. It has not been able to act decisively even though the future of Jaring medical college students remain uncertain,” he added.

Purohit also hinted at taking up the impending bus strike given the bus owners have already served a notice on the government and have called for a strike from December 1. Further, the mining scam and the smuggling of ores from various places including Hansda and Renjda would be another key issue for the party.

Notably, the winter session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly has been scheduled to be held from December 1 to 26.