Rahul Gandhi at a public meeting in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Sanjib Muherjee

Bhubaneswar, July 14: General secretary of the All India Congress Committee Rahul Gandhi today called upon the young party workers to reach out to people in the villages and work hard to dislodge the “corrupt” Naveen Patnaik government.

“The aam admi government should come to power in the state,” Rahul said, while addressing a rally here today. The Congress has remained out of power in the state since 2000.

Rahul was unrelenting in his attack. He said: “A corrupt government is running the state. Though Orissa is a rich state, its people still remain poor. Orissa is rich in mineral resources and has minerals, including iron ore and bauxite. However, benefits of the industrialisation have reached only a few people. The poor remain deprived.”

Chief minister Naveen Patnaik reacted sharply to Rahul’s tirade. “We are running a transparent government. We are trying hard to serve the poor. Many development steps have been taken for the poor people.”

Making a scathing attack on the state government for its failure to properly implement the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Rahul added: “The CBI is now conducting an inquiry in six districts, where the job programme has been going on. There is a serious problem in implementation of the scheme.”

Rahul said: “The job scheme is the most powerful and dynamic programme of the Centre and lots of money is being spent in the programme. However, the tribal women in the state do not have any idea about the programme.”

Rahul said that during his visit to the tribal area, he had come to know that tribal women knew little about the job scheme. “The Centre has given around Rs 35,000 crore to the state, but it has not been able to spend the money. Money is not a problem with the Centre. The problem lies with the implementation. We have no idea as to where the money is going.”

Raising the corruption issue in the mid-day meal scheme, he said money under this scheme had also been swindled. “The ratio of poverty in Orissa is still much higher compared to other states,” he said.

On the problem of displacement in the Posco area, Rahul said the would-be oustees should be adequately compensated. “We are not against development. Poor people should be benefited and not be brushed aside. People should be adequately compensated and properly rehabilitated.”

On Congress maintaining a double standard on the Posco issue, Rahul said: “It is not a case of double standard. The party believes that the poor deserve a place in the process of development and voice of the poor must be heard.” He also recalled how he had fought for the Niyamgiri tribals. Rahul said the UPA government was going to bring in a new land-acquisition bill with increased focus on the poor.

Earlier, at a news conference, Rahul gave the Naveen government some relief by saying that Orissa was “less corrupt” compared to the Mayawati-led government in Uttar Pradesh. “The corruption is UP is unbelievable. No other state can be compared to Uttar Pradesh in this matter,” Rahul said.

On the issue of Lokpal, Rahul said: “I think the Lokpal is fundamental. However, the Prime Minister should not be brought under the purview of Lokpal while in office. While the Prime Minister is in the office, he is in constant engagement and has to lead the country. However, the day he demits from the office, he should come under the ambit of the Lokpal. Once he leaves office, he can be questioned.”

More than 10,000 people turned up to attend the meeting. Rahul also visited Khurda and Bhadrak. Union minister for chemical and fertilisers Srikant Jena, Congress’ Orissa in-charge Jagdish Tytler and president of the Pradesh Congress committee Niranjan Patnaik shared the dais with Rahul at the public meetings.