"The Centre has never neglected any non-Congress ruled state including Orissa," Gandhi said while responding to a question of a student during an interactive session in Berhampur University.
The Centre has not neglected Orissa or any other state where the Congress is not in power, AICC leader Rahul Gandhi said today.
"The Centre has never neglected any non-Congress ruled state including Orissa," Gandhi said while responding to a question of a student during an interactive session in Berhampur University.
"I asked him why Orissa is lagging behind in development compared to some other states," Soumindra Pallur of the Ronald Institute of Engineering and Technology said.
Gandhi held interactions with students at Cuttack and Berhampur on the first day of his two-day visit to Orissa.
"Basically, he told us about the need for proper utilisation and empowerment of youths for speedy development of the country," said Pooja, an engineering student who was among the students who braved rains and chilly winds to attend the session.
During the 75 minute-interaction at the Berhampur University, Rahul Gandhi drew the attention of the students to the progress made by India and Japan, which was much ahead on all fronts, in the last five decades, she said.
Gandhi stayed back at Ganjam district due to bad weather, cancelling a similar programme at Sambalpur.
Party sources said Gandhi, who was scheduled to interact with students at the district auditorium in Sambalpur at 4:30 pm, had to shelve the plans due to bad weather.
"Though there was sufficient light for Rahulji's chopper to take off from Gopalpur, it might face problem while landing at Sambalpur. He will, therefore, stay back at Gopalpur tonight," a senior Congress leader said.
Gandhi was originally scheduled to make a night halt at Sambalpur.
It was yet to be decided whether Gandhi would visit Sambalpur tomorrow for an interaction with students, party sources said.
The Congress leader is also scheduled to have a session with students at Baripada tomorrow, they said.
Since Gandhi was not slated to make a night halt at Gopalpur, security arrangements had to be made on a war footing, SP (Berhampore) S Ahmed said.
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