Phulbani/Chilika (Odisha), Dec 28 (PTI) BJP president J P Nadda Wednesday appeared to sound the poll bugle in Odisha more than a year ahead of the assembly election, as he flayed the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government over a host of issues and called upon people to vote for the BJP.
Nadda accused the ruling BJD of denying people a key central health scheme and not focusing on the safety of women.
Addressing two public meetings at Tumudibandh in Kandhamal district and Banpur in Khurda district, he urged people to ensure that a BJP government is formed in the state in 2024, when assembly polls are due in Odisha.
“Should the people allow a government to run in the state which denied the central government’s benefit of Rs 5-lakh health service through the Ayushman Bharat Yojana,” the BJP chief said.
“While people across the country get the benefit of the scheme, citizens of Odisha are denied the privilege… What kind of government is this and who is running it?” he said.
Nadda said as per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, crimes against women in Odisha have almost doubled, and it is “shameful that human trafficking has assumed alarming proportions” as well.
“Women are not safe in Odisha, and the state records maximum atrocities against tribals and dalits, too. These apart, criminal attacks on police are also the highest in Odisha,” he alleged.
The BJP president also raised the issue of the missing keys of Lord Jagannath’s ‘Ratna Bhadar’ (temple treasury), and said the chief minister is answerable to the public over it.
“Where are the keys of the ‘Ratna Bhandar’ of the temple? Naveen Babu is roaming around with duplicate keys. Is he running an original government or a duplicate one? He will have to answer all these questions,” Nadda said.
The senior BJP leader also took exception to a recent remark of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik that Odisha was not in the focus of national parties, and asserted that a series of developmental activities have been carried out by the central government in the state.
Citing the instances of the Centre setting up the IIM-Sambalpur, IISER-Berhampur and a skill development centre in Bhubaneswar, Nadda said Patnaik had promised an Odia university five years ago.
“Naveen Babu, where is the university? The CM had also promised to start the Nyaygarh sugar mill. But, till today not a single employee has received salary nor have farmers been paid their pending dues.
“I appeal to the people of Odisha to vote for the BJP and ensure the lotus blooms in the state in the Lok Sabha as well as Vidhan Sabha elections so that the common man joins the development yatra under the leadership of PM Modi,” said Nadda.
He added that the BJP-led central government has earmarked an expenditure of over Rs 220 crore for a seismic survey campaign on the Mahanadi basin in the state for oil and gas exploration. It has also provided two new iron-ore blocks, which will bring growth and development in the state, Nadda pointed out.
“Under the Jal Jeevan Mission project, the Centre has provided over Rs 3,323 crore to Odisha as grant. In Puri, crores of rupees are being spent on the construction of the Jagannath stadium,” he said.
Meanwhile, the BJD and opposition Congress asserted that there will be no impact of Nadda’s visit on Odisha politics.
“They come here and make tall claims. The people of Odisha will decide who is working for them,” said BJD vice-president S R Patnaik. PTI AAM RBT RBT
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