Demand for resignation over POSCO unjustified, says Naveen Patnaik

BHUBANESWAR - Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has said that the demand for his resignation by the opposition parties over giving land to the steel maker POSCO is illogical and without any justification.

Reacting to the furore by the opposition in the state Assembly here, Patnaik said: “As I said earlier the demands for my resignation are totally unjustified. Well, you can see for the unruly behaviour of some opposition members in the assembly. This is unfortunate because a lot of important work in the State has to be done during the session. And by this kind of behaviour, naturally it delays important work of the state.”

The opposition in Orissa has been disrupting the ongoing Winter Session in State Assembly, alleging Patnaik had manipulated and bent the rules for giving the land to steel maker POSCO’s proposed plant in the State.

Meanwhile, the Congress party, remained adamant in its demand for the resignation of Patnaik and organised a massive rally to further press his ouster.

K P Singh Deo, President of Orissa Pradesh Congress Committee said that the Patnaik government has been the only government, which has been legally malafide in its deeds.

“Here is a government you voted for three times and here is a government who (which) is making a mockery of democracy, violating the Constitution, violating the law, because the High Court has indicted this present BJD (Biju Janata Dal) government that it is malafide, legally malafide, which is a very serious charge, which has never happened in 63 years of independence,” he added.

He also criticised Patnaik over issues like Vedanta University, mining scams, law and order situation and corruption.

The world number three steel-maker’s 12-million-tonnes a year plant in India now needs final approval from Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh after all work on the project, including land acquisition, was halted in August, while the majority panel investigated alleged violations of the Forest Rights Act by POSCO.

The world number three steel-maker’s 12-million-tonnes a year plant in India now needs final approval from Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh after all work on the project, including land acquisition, was halted in August, while the majority panel investigated alleged violations of the Forest Rights Act by POSCO.

Ramesh had earlier said POSCO “s proposal was under review from ‘environment point of view,’ and the review would end shortly. (ANI)