Bhubaneswar, May 25: Union minister of state for statistics and implementation Srikant Jena today questioned chief minister Naveen Patnaik on the rationale behind BJD members burning effigies of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi across the state on the issue of granting special-category status to Odisha.

In a letter to the chief minister, Jena said the demand for a special category state was an old one.

“We are not opposed to it. A committee has already been formed under Raghuram Rajan to look into the issue of special-category state status. Union finance minister P. Chidambaram has already made an announcement to this effect. While other states have welcomed the move, the BJD is indulging in burning effigies of Singh and Sonia Gandhi. I don’t know why they are doing it,” he said.

Terming the BJD’s anti-Centre stand as unfortunate one, Jena reminded the chief minister that when he was a part of the NDA government, he could have initiated steps to accord the special-category status to Odisha.

“When the present UPA government is taking steps in this regard, the BJD’s move in burning effigies of Singh and Sonia Gandhi is unfortunate,” he said, adding that the government should apologise to the people.

Jena also reminded Naveen that the state had got more funds during the UPA regime, as compared to when NDA was in power. “The government should apologise to the people. Otherwise, they will teach it a lesson.”

On the other hand, fianace minister Prasana Acharya today came down heavily on Jena. “Jena is not working in the interests of Odisha. He behaves as if he represents the interest of other states. Jena should join hands in demanding a special-category status to Odisha,” he said.

BJD deputy chief whip Sanjay Dasburma said: “The deputy panning commission’s refusal to grant a special-category state status to Odisha has pained the people. At this juncture, Jena’s stance is unfortunate. The Congress should not ignore the interests of Odisha.”