Kartik Pandian Throws String of Questions at Union Minister on Development of Sambalpur

Sambalpur: Senior BJD leader and 5T Chairman Kartik Pandian on Friday made a blistering attack on Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, throwing a string of questions to the latter regarding the development of Sambalpur.

Addressing a massive gathering of people at an election campaign meeting here, Kartik Pandian said, “The identity of Sambalpur is Sambalpuri Kosali language. What has the Union Minister done for the development of this language? Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has repeatedly written letters to include the language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Why the Central Government did not consider it., he asked?

“Our Chief Minister has made a separate museum dedicated to Sambalpuri sarees at Kalabhoomi. You have been a Union Minister for ten years, what have you done for Sambaluri Saree and weavers of Samblapur, the senior BJD leader asked.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has built the Krushi Bhawan with the Sambalpuri Ikat design. The weavers are the backbone of this area. The CM has given many packages for the weavers of this area. If the Union Minister had ever wanted, he could have built a textile park in this area. The Union Minister could have helped in export promotion of Sambalpuri sarees, said Pandian.

The identity of this area lies with the great personalities of this soil. What the BJP government has done to preserve the memory of Veer Surendra Sai, poet Gangadhar Meher, Bhima Bhoi, Parvati Giri, he asked while adding that the Odisha Government has developed the memorials of the great sons of this soil. Many schemes have also been named in their honors, he said..

Mahanadi is the lifeline in this region. The people here depend on the river for their livelihood. But Dharmendra Pradhan has done politics by standing with Chhattisgarh.

Targeting the Centre Government, the senior BJD leader said that MCL is receiving around Rs 27,000 crore from Odisha every year. But the people of Odisha are getting pollution and Odisha is getting only Rs 4,000 crore. Is it good, he asked?

Informing that the Chief Minister has a big master plan for the development of Sambalpur and Rengali, Pandian appealed to the people to vote for the BJD candidates in the ensuing elections.