Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan ventured in to two sensitive issues – visiting Kotia village and countering Andhra Pradesh government’s attempts to stake claim over the area and secondly interacting with members of the deceased gang rape victim at Kunduli on Monday.

While he called for a concerted effort for development of Kotia villages both by the state and the central government to give a befitting reply to bordering Andhra Pradesh government, he was bitterly critical of the BJD government on its handling of the Kunduli gang rape issue.

Pradhan reached Koraput this morning and straight away went to Kotia and interacted with the villagers. He went through various documents shared by Gadadhar Parida , former district collector of Koraput and convenor of Amo Kotia Sangathan establishing that Kotia has always been part of Odisha state.

Mr.Pradhan declared Kotia was an integral part of Odisha and all measures would be taken to see that best interest of the people are realised by the government.

The unwarranted visits by Andhra Pradesh government officers and programmes undertaken by them can best be countered by a heavy doze of developmental work by Odisha and the central government, he said.

It is not a political issue at all, everyone should join hands to ensure that Kotia area dominated by tribals remains part of Odisha, he said. Pradhan assured people that he would appraise Prime Minister Narendra Modi about the situation at Kotia.

Mr.Parida showed relevant maps and documents to substantiate claims of Odisha on Kotia. While appreciating the efforts by Amo Kotia Sangathan , media and people of the region at large for their efforts in bringing issue of Kotia to the forefront, Mr.Pradhan said that Koraput district was among the aspirational districts listed by the centre which will be accorded special attention.

It may be noted that 21 villages bordering Andhra Pradesh have been a bone of contention between the two states. In January this year AP officers launched several schemes in Kotia village, distributed clothes, lanterns and pension.

Odisha government woke up after two such visits and took up the issue . It put check gates to monitor entry and exit to these villages. Pradhan , later met the family of the deceased Kunduli girl who committed suicide after being allegedly gang raped.

The Union Minister criticised the state government on the tardy investigation in to the sensational crime and wondered why CM Naveen Patnaik was shying away from ordering a CBI probe as demanded by the bereaved family.

Pradhan denounced the alleged attempts by the state crime branch police to harass media persons of a private television channel that had exposed discrepancies in the forensic report.

The gang rape took place in October and till date Odisha government has failed to nab the culprits, he charged. The crime branch is not denying or disputing the forensic report exposed by the television channel, it is questioning the reporters how they got hold of the report, chided Pradhan.

Sharply reacting to Pradhan’s visit to Kotia , Revenue Minister Maheswar Mohanty said the BJP seems to have woken up to the issue after TDP walked out of the NDA.

Till that point in time the BJP leadership including Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan did not bother to visit Kotia, let alone, fight for Odisha’s claim over the area, he pointed out.

Hammering home his point further, Mohanty said Pradhan ought to ask his senior party leader Mr Biswabhusan Harichandan who was the revenue minister till 2009 as to what he had done for Kotia villages.

It is sheer politics, since TDP is out, Pradhan has come in to settle scores here, said Mohanty. On the Kunduli gang rape issue, BJD spokesperson’s said the matter is being investigated by the crime branch and a judicial probe has also been ordered, there is no need for a CBI probe.