Vedant University a cover up for Chrome deal:Congress

Bhubaneswar, Jul 20 (UNI) A day after Orissa signed the MoU with Anil Agarwal Foundation for setting up of the world class Vedant University, the Pradesh Congress Committee today dubbed it as a conspiracy to cover up the Rs 50,000 crore chrome deal.

PCC president Jayadeb Jena told newsmen here that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik could go to any extent to help Vedant Aluminium Limited(VAL) Chairman Anil Agarwal to 'loot' valuable chrome ore deposits in the state.

He said the signing of MoU with The Anil Agarwal Foundation for a University was nothing but a 'lollypop' aimed at giving recognition to the illegal deal,the state government had entered with the VAL in allowing bauxite mining.

Mr Jena said a fresh attempt has been made by both Mr Agarwal and Mr Patnaik to divert the peoples attention in the guise of setting up of a university at a cost of Rs.15,000 crores spread over an area of 8000 acres on the Puri-Konark Marine drive.

He said there had been lot of opposition to the 'illegal' agreement signed between the Orissa Mining Corporation(OMC) and the VAL on the utilisation of 150 million tonnes bauxite deposits by the latter for its Lanjigarh plant.

Mr Jena said it was a criminal offence against the people of the state and questioned how in a market driven economy could the value of minerals be dictated by the chief minister to allow London based VAL to enter an agreement with OMC by just paying the royalty.

He said the Congress would continue its movement till the chief minister was 'exposed' in his 'murky deal' with Mr Anil Agarwal and 'booked on the charges of fraud and undue favour' shown to the company.

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