Odisha BJP shedding crocodile tears on Mahanadi dispute: Naveen

Bhubaneswar: BJD president and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday accused the Odisha unit of BJP of shedding crocodile tears on Mahanadi water dispute with the Chhattisgarh government.

He said the BJP leaders are supporting projects by Chhattisgarh on Mahanadi river.

“BJP leaders in Odisha are supporting Chhattisgarh for its projects on Mahanadi. Some leaders are visiting Odisha and shedding crocodile tears. If they are concerned about the welfare of Odisha and its people, they should oppose the Chhattisgarh government,” Patnaik said after launching the Mahanadi Surakhya Yatra at Sukhasoda in Jharsuguda district.

He said both the Centre and Chhattisgarh led by BJP are adopting an anti-Odisha policy.

Mahanadi Surakshya Yatra is scheduled to cover a distance of 1585 kms passing through 15 districts and 45 constituencies and culminate at Paradip in Jagatsinghpur district on May 30.

The fortnight-long event was also launched at Chicholi in Bargarh district by the Chief Minister.

As part of the campaign, awareness programmes will be held in 15 districts with the lighting of lamps at all religious places situated on Mahanadi basin.

During the campaign, the regional party would organise street meetings workshop, awareness meeting, distribute leaflets and other literary materials and play audio-visual on Mahanadi in every gram panchayat, block and sub-division and district headquarters.

The BJD MPs, MLAs and panchayat representatives have been asked by the party to spend the night in villages.