Naveen flouted HRD ministry guidelines: Congress

Bhubaneswar, Jul 28 (UNI) Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Jayadev Jena today took great exception to the party not being included in the committee for celebration of 150th year of India's freedom struggle in the state.

Mr Jena told mediapersons here, ''Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has flouted Human Resource Development (HRD) ministry guidelines in the formation of the committee by excluding the Opposition.'' The Congress leader said the HRD Ministry had asked all the chief ministers to involve all political parties at the state level to celebrate the function.

Mr Jena alleged that the chief minister had shown a narrow political mind by not inviting the Congress to a recently convened meeting to discuss the celebration in the state.

''Mr Patnaik has done this at the behest and pressure of the RSS.

It is most unfortunate and shocking that a party, which had contributed immensely to country's freedom struggle, had been ignored by the chief minister.'' UNI