Modi targets Patnaik in his Odisha home turf
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a fresh attack on Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, accusing him of “outsourcing” the entire government, and said the state’s development remains stunted as the government does not trust the people’s capabilities.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday launched a fresh attack on Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik, accusing him of “outsourcing” the entire government, and said the state’s development remains stunted as the government does not trust the people’s capabilities.
Addressing a series of election rallies in Kandhamal, Bolangir and Bargarh Lok Sabha constituencies, Modi also claimed that Odisha’s “asmita” (pride) is in danger and that leaders of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) are involved in the “loot” of tribal lands in the state.
Taking a dig at Patnaik’s presumptive successor and BJD leader VK Pandian, Modi said: “The entire government has been outsourced in Odisha. A ‘super chief minister’ is now here over the chief minister… Are sons and daughters born in the land of Odisha not capable of running the government? Are people born here not capable of ensuring development? Do you want power to be given to a person who does not understand Odisha?”
Pandian, a former Tamil Nadu-born private secretary and a trusted lieutenant of Patnaik for more than a decade, joined the BJD on November 27, a little more than a month after he resigned from the Indian Administrative Services (IAS). The move came amid speculation that the influential former bureaucrat could emerge as the second most powerful leader within the party, and perhaps even Patnaik’s successor as party chief in the future.
Modi continued: “Today, the Odia culture is in danger and protecting the Odia ‘asmita’ is the biggest challenge. Hence, the BJP has decided to bring out Odisha from such a crisis situation as the Odia asmita cannot be mortgaged.” He challenged Patnaik to name the districts of Odisha and their respective capitals without seeing them on paper, and said that Odisha’s development remains stunted as the state government doesn’t trust the people’s capabilities. “I want to challenge Naveen babu as he has been the chief minister for such a long time. Ask Naveen babu to name the districts of Odisha and their respective capitals without seeing them on paper. If the chief minister cannot name the districts of the state, will he know your pain?” he said.
“Odisha has vast opportunities for the tourism sector to flourish. And, the tourism sector usually has a spillover effect on the overall economy of the region. Your state government is not willing to trust your capabilities, due to which your development remains stunted. This election holds immense significance for the people of Odisha. Your every vote is crucial for the development of Odisha and a prosperous India. Your single vote will enable a BJP government, bringing a double-engine government to Odisha for the first time!” he added.
Hitting back, Pandian said while Modi talks about a double-engine government, the Centre is spending only ₹6,000 crore on its Ayushman Bharat (health insurance) scheme across the country.
“Odisha would get just ₹300 crore. But on Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (state health coverage scheme), the state is spending ₹300 crore every month. Why did the Centre fail to build a coastal highway in Odisha? We are tired of requesting the Centre over raising the coal royalty. Had the coal royalty been revised, Odisha would have got ₹5 lakh crore extra.”
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