Bhubaneswar, Dec 18 (PTI) Accusing the BJD of strengthening communal forces in Odisha, CPI general secretary D Raja on Monday asked the regional outfit headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to make its stand clear in Parliament.
Raja, who is here to attend the CPI’s national executive meeting, said, “The BJD needs to make its stand clear in Parliament whether it is in favour of the BJP-led Modi government or against it.” The CPI leader said the BJD has supported all ‘anti-people’ bills brought by the Modi government in Parliament. Therefore, Patnaik should clear the air before upcoming election, he said.
“The role of BJD strengthens the communal forces in Odisha,” a statement circulated at Raja’s press conference said.
The regional party, which had a coalition government with BJP from 2000 to 2009 in Odisha, had severed electoral ties with the saffron party in wake of a large-scale communal violence in Kandhamal in 2008. Then, Patnaik had to give a clarification on his party’s secular credentials.
“Every bone of me is secular,” Patnaik had said after the Kandhamal riots in the face of criticism from different quarters as he was heading the coalition government with BJP from 2000 to 2009.
Reacting to Raja’s statement, BJD vice-president Debi Prasad Mishra said, “Raja’s statement is unfortunate. The BJD believes in the Lord Jagannath culture which takes care of people of all castes, creeds and religions.” CPI leader Ramakrishna Panda also alleged that the BJD and BJP have an undeclared alliance in Odisha. “Therefore, the CPI has decided to fight against both the parties through the INDIA alliance in the upcoming polls,” he said.
“The CPI is attending all meetings of INDIA bloc and preparing to fight against the BJD and BJP in the 2024 polls,” Panda said. PTI BBM AAM MNB
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