Bhubaneswar, Feb 24: After bringing a chargesheet against the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government on the grounds of corruption and misrule, the Congress has given a call for 'Odisha Secretariat Gherao' on February 26.

Addressing a press conference on Friday at Congress Bhawan, PCC President Sarat Patnaik said, "The BJD government has betrayed the people of Odisha. Farmers, youth, women, tribals, Dalits--all sections of the population of the state have been cheated by the government. Farmers are denied MSP but given the lollipops of Kalia and Balia."

"The youth are denied jobs and are forced to go to other states. Atrocities against women are rampant and they are being cheated in the name of Mission Shakti. The rights of Adivasis and Dalits are curtailed by the government. In the last 24 years, this government has only brought huge corruption and misrule," Patnaik claimed.

Patnaik added, "The best thing that this govt has offered to the people of Odisha is mining corruption of R1 lakh crore, chit fund corruption of Rs 20 thousand crores, Rs 33 thousand crores in Megha water supply project, and Rs 35 thousand crores in energy infrastructure project....the list goes on."

"In education and health, the performance of this government is very poor. There are no teachers in schools and colleges. 50 per cent of teachers' and lecturers' posts are vacant. Quality education is a daydream for most of the children of the state. In health, the government has utterly failed to provide quality health care. Primary health centres and community health centres are facing acute shortages of doctors, staff nurses, paramedics, etc.," he added.

"In one line, the Naveen government is a failed one, so I call upon the people of the state to oust this corrupt government. The 26th Secretariat Gherao will be the death bell for this government," he said.

Others who attended the press meeting include Dr Biswaranjan Mohanty, Chairman, of OPCC Media and Communication Department and Amiya Pandav, Chairman of, the Social Media Department.

(ANI)

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