BJD protests before Raj Bhavan over PMAY, alleges central neglience

The ruling BJD Wednesday staged a demonstration near Raj Bhavan here alleging negligence of the Centre towards Odisha in the Pradhan Matri Awas Yojana PMAY and protested against the hike in fuel prices.A number of party ministers and MLAs marched towards the Raj Bhavan after Assembly Speaker S N Patro adjourned the House till 5 PM following obituary reference to the departed ex-members and COVID-19 warriors.

The ruling BJD Wednesday staged a demonstration near Raj Bhavan here alleging negligence of the Centre towards Odisha in the Pradhan Matri Awas Yojana (PMAY) and protested against the hike in fuel prices.

A number of party ministers and MLAs marched towards the Raj Bhavan after Assembly Speaker S N Patro adjourned the House till 5 PM following obituary reference to the departed ex-members and COVID-19 warriors. BJD MLA and party's youth wing president Byamokesh Ray alleged that the Centre has stopped the PMAY in Odisha while continuing it still in some BJP ruled states. He alleged that seven BJP MPs from Odisha had presented a false narrative in the the rural development ministry regarding irregularities in the implementation of PMAY in the state.

BJP had alleged that there was large scale corruption and irregularities in the selection of beneficiaries of PMAY following which the Centre stopped the scheme. "This is a conspiracy against Odisha is to stop the housing scheme. We will continue with our protests as long as the Centre maintains such double standards and shows step-motherly attitude towards Odisha," Ray said. The BJD leaders said that though Chief Minister Naveen Pattnaik has written a letter to the Centre about the commencement of the housing scheme, but it is yet to be implemented.

They also demanded reduction in the prices of fuel and cooking gas, which th leaders said has resulted in the hike in the prices of all essential commodities across the country. They termed ''The BJP-led government at the Centre is anti-people," they said.

They also submitted a memorandum addressed to the President of India with Governor of Odisha.

The BJP in a statement termed the BJD's protest as a ''tactic to divert the attention of the people'' from the sensational Kalahandi woman teacher kidnap and murder case in which the Odisha minister of state for home D S Mishra had specific roles. "BJD has been trying to divert the attention of the people from the teacher murder case since the beginning. From day one of the winter session of the Assembly (Wednesday) the ruling party is trying to divert the matter by raising various other issues," BJP leader and opposition chief whip Mohan Majhi said.

"The BJD is playing politics by holding protests in front of Raj Bhawan and raising PMAY issue," he added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)