BJD supporting all policies of BJP govt at Centre: Raja

CPI General Secretary D Raja on Sunday hit out at Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik accusing him of backing all policies of BJP-led Central Government jeopardising the interests of the state's people.

The veteran left leader voiced surprise over Patnaik's change of stance within a short span and said till the general elections held earlier this year both the BJD and BJP fought a bitter poll battle marked by trading of charges.

"In the run-up to the last elections, BJD and BJP opposed each other vehemently. However, after the elections we are facing a situation in which BJD is supporting all the policies and decisions of BJP," Raja said.

The CPI leader was on a visit to Odisha to attend the left party's organisational conference in Cuttack.

"A bitter critic of the saffron party till the last elections, BJD has been supporting the BJP on all issues both inside Parliament and outside," Raja said.

He said the BJD backed the Centre on several measures including Triple Talaq and Article 370, and asked Naveen Patnaik to make his party's stand clear on BJP's suggestion on Hindi language.

Attacking the Centre on a host of issues, Raja alleged that Narendra Modi Government has taken away Rs 1.76 lakh crore from the RBI and given tax exemption to multi-national companies instead of taking steps to check economic slowdown.

The CPI leader claimed the economic slowdown in the country has severely hit agriculture, textile, automobile and construction sectors.

He claimed that a large number of workers and employees are facing retrenchment, but the government is hurriedly disinvesting public sector undertakings (PSUs) in key sectors including coal and steel.

Though prices of petroleum products have reduced globally, the Centre is increasing petrol and diesel prices as it "seeks to benefit" the corporate houses, Raja said.

The CPI leader accused the BJP-led government of taking a number of measures evading constitutional routes and alleged that "unity in diversity" of India is under threat as mob lynching, gangrape, attack on non-BJP governments had become the order of the day.