Bhubaneswar: Alleging a nexus between Congress and the Naveen Patnaik led-BJD in loot of mineral resources of Odisha, BJP president Rajnath Singh on Tuesday claimed that the UPA government deliberately tabled only one-third of the Justice MB Shah Commission`s reports instead of the full.
"The UPA government has tabled only one volume of the Shah Commission report. The Shah panel has submitted three volumes of reports on illegal mining in Odisha," Rajnath said while addressing the party`s Vijay Sankalp Samabesh here.
Demanding a CBI probe into the illegal mining in Odisha, Rajnath smelt that the UPA govenrment intentionally tabled only one volume of the Shah Panel with a motive of supressing facts.
The BJP President also blamed the UPA government for not introducing the MMDR (amendment) Bill, passing of which would ensure 26 per cent of royalty for states on exploration of minerals.
Stating that both the Congress and BJD are jointly involved in illegal mining scam in Odisha, he said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik should voluntarily hand over the investigation of the illegal mining to CBI.
On the poverty of Odisha, the BJP president agreed with Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, who two days ago said: "Odisha is rich, but its people are poor."
Rajnath held the Congress (along with the ruling BJD) responsible for the poverty in the state as it ruled Odisha for a long period of time.
In reply to Rahul Gandhi`s statement that Narendra Modi had been misleading the people, Ranjanth said: "Who is misleading the people is evident from the fact that Indira Gandhi had given `Garibi Hatao` call in 70s. But when Food Security Bill was being debated in the Parliament, Congress leaders said that many people do not get two square meals a day."
He said, that the first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had said we are building the nation. "However, today, Congress is also giving the Bharat Nirman slogan. When will you be able to build a prosperous nation?"
The BJP President claimed that Nerandra Modi has changed face of Gujarat during a span of 14 years. However, the Congress do not admit it, he rued.
"It is surprising that the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation set up by Gandhi family has praised achievement of Gujarat. The US Parliament has discussed on the progress made by Gujarat and Modiji`s success," he pointed out.
