Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took on the Odisha Government by saying it is not letting the benefits of central schemes trickle down to the people and siding with the mining mafia. Addressing a rally at Salepur in Odisha's Cuttack district, Rahul Gandhi said, “Odisha says Centre doesn't send money for the state. But no government has allotted as much money as we did to Odisha in five years. Odisha government hasn’t utilized 5 crore rupees that we have sent”.

1. Camp: Salepur in Odisha's Cuttack district
Date: 9th February, 2014
Time: 3 pm
Rahul Gandhi takes on Odisha Government, says it loots the Central funds
Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took on the Odisha Government by saying it is not letting the benefits of
central schemes trickle down to the people and siding with the mining mafia. Addressing a rally at Salepur in Odisha's Cuttack
district, Rahul Gandhi said, “Odisha says Centre doesn't send money for the state. But no government has allotted as much
money as we did to Odisha in five years. Odisha government hasn’t utilized 5 crore rupees that we have sent”.
At a time when the opposition parties in the state including the Congress are vocal against an alleged large-scale mining scam,
Rahul Gandhi blamed Naveen Patnaik's government for not maintaining a clean sheet on the issue and said, “We fought for the
tribals in Niyamgiri to get their lands back..We have given their rights in lands back which they deserved. We want to repeat the
same in the Odisha. Odisha is a rich state, but people are poor here”. There were reports that out 94 of the 192 iron-ore mining
leases in Odisha do not have environmental clearance and 75, which have a green nod, have mined far beyond the approved
level.
Continuing the attack on the state government, the Congress leader continued, “Iron and manganese worth rupees 60 thousand
crore are being looted. This money should belong to you. But selected people gained from it. Mining mafia gained from it and
you keep watching. 20 lakh families have suffered from loss from Chit-fund. We have sent funds under MNREGA from Delhi for
you and the money that has been stolen by the state govt. We also have sent the food for the mid-day meal for children that
also vanished. Food meant for children was being stolen by BJD leaders. They didn’t stop there; even they galloped the food
which was sent for BPL’s families”.
Highlighting the achievements of the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre, the party vice President continued, “What
Delhi government has done? We have initiated a right-based politics. We have provided food to every family in India through
right to food, without any discrimination. It is the Congress which gave MNREGA, Land acquisition Act and RTI to the people. RTI
is an effective tool to fight corruption”.
Rahul Gandhi further said that the Odisha government was not bringing about development in the state. "School and hospitals
are closed there are no teachers and doctors. The state government takes the money from the people but does not utisilise
them for their development".

2. “All of us, the Congress workers, must go to every single village in the state and fight for people’s rights; we must fight
corruption” urged Rahul Gandhi. "Throw BJD out of the state and bring a Congress government that works for all sections, a
government that fights for the poor", concluded Rahul Gandhi.
Full text of speech of Sh. Rahul Gandhi at Salepur in Cuttack, Odisha
I feel very happy and delighted whenever I come to Cuttack. I could gather that that there is no lack of strength and knowledge
in the people here. Odisha is the richest state in India; there is no lack of resources like iron, coal, biocide and manganese.
Everything is here. There are forests, sea and everything you need is available here. But the benefits put of these resources
somehow do not reach you and vanish in the mid-way. Raghuram Rajan report noted that Odisha is on the last place comparing
with other states.
3,500 famers have committed suicide and 10 lakh youngsters are unemployed here. Youth want employment but government is
not providing them with adequate job to them. 22 states out of 30 are affected by Naxalists. One third of the population in
Odisha is poor. Tribals and poor are being exploited in the state. Schools are closed; there are no teachers in school; hospitals
are closed and if it’s open there are no doctors. Who is responsible for this? It is the Odisha government. The state government
takes the money from the people but does not utisilise them for their development.
Iron and manganese worth rupees 60 thousand crore are being looted. This money should belong to you. But selected people
gained from it. Mining mafia gained from it and you keep watching. 20 lakh families have suffered from loss from Chit-fund. We
have sent funds under MNREGA from Delhi for you and the money that has been stolen by the state govt. We also have sent the
food for the mid-day meal for children that also vanished. Food meant for children was being stolen by BJD leaders. They didn’t
stop there; even they galloped the food which was sent for BPL’s families.
Odisha says Centre doesn't send money for the state. But no government has allotted as much money as we did to Odisha in five
years. Odisha government hasn’t utilized 5 crore rupees that we have sent.
What Delhi government has done? We have initiated a right-based politics. We have provided food to every family in India
through right to food, without any discrimination. It is the congress which gave MNREGA, Land acquisition Act and RTI to the
people. RTI is an effective tool to fight corruption.
We fought for the tribals in Niyamgiri to get their lands back..We have given their rights in lands back which they deserved. We
want to repeat the same in the Odisha. Odisha is a rich state, but people are poor here.
Congress party has to fight for the rights of all people, the tribals, dalits, backward people, common man and the poor. All of us,
the Congress workers, must go to every single village of the state and fight for the people’s right; we must fight corruption.
There are 70 crore people who came out of poverty line but below the medium class, fight for them. Fight for the dalits, poor,
women, and downtrodden. The Corrupt state government here looted your money. We must fight against this and bring a

3. government of poor, tribal and common man so that your money comes back to you.. Give the money to people and their
development.
I Throw BJD out of the state and bring a Congress government that fights for common man and the poor.
Thank you.