Congress condemns deface of Rajiv Gandhi statue

Bhubaneswar, Apr 12 (UNI) Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) today threatened to launch a state-wide agitation to protest against the defacing of Rajiv Gandhi statue by the miscreants at Rourkela.

Describing the incident as ''shocking and shameful'', OPCC President Jayadev Jena urged Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to personally intervene into the matter and re install the statue within seven days.

Mr Jena said when the miscreants destroyed the Biju Patnaik statue in Salepur sometime back, the Congress extended all support to the government to book the culprits but in the case of defacing the Rajiv Gandhi statue, the BJD-BJP governmnent has taken no action to nab the miscreants.

The PCC Chief said the youth congress activists had resorted to relay demonstration at Rourkela in protest against damaging the Rajiv Gandhi statue and warned the government that the party would intensify the agitation if no action was taken by the government to re-install the statue and nab the miscreants.

Alleging large scale irregularities in the implementation of various central funded scheme, Mr Jena demanded a white paper on the utilisation of central funds since 2004 and the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in the state.

UNI