Bhubaneswar: Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) president Bhakta Charan Das on Friday strongly condemned Andhra Pradesh for issuing a notification for panchayat elections in the Kotia region of Koraput district, and demanded immediate steps by the Odisha government to stop the neighbouring state’s interference.
Das demanded withdrawal of Andhra’s notification, asserting that the move amounted to interference in Odisha’s territory.
He strongly criticised the BJP government in Odisha for remaining silent on the issue.
“Andhra Pradesh has repeatedly been intervening in the region and disrupting Odisha administrative system. The Odisha government should have reacted as soon as Andhra’s notification was issued and taken immediate steps to stop it. Why is the BJP, which came to power invoking Odia pride and identity, silent on this issue?” Das said.
He expressed concern that the government had failed to understand the intentions behind Andhra Pradesh’s distribution of pensions and other welfare benefits in the region.
Terming it a constitutional violation by the Andhra government, Das said Congress will not tolerate it and urged the Odisha government to coordinate with the Centre and take strong legal and administrative measures to protect the state’s territory.
He demanded that the Chief Minister or Revenue Minister immediately hold discussions with the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and Union Home Minister to address the issue and sought Centre’s intervention for a permanent solution to the Kotia boundary dispute.
Reiterating that Kotia is an integral part of Odisha, Das said Congress would continue to stand with the people of the state to protect its territorial integrity.
