Odisha leaders of the BJP and the Congress are remote-controlled by their high commands and they are “voiceless” in the State. Only the regional party BJD can fight for the State’s interests, said BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik here on Friday.
“We don’t have any bosses in Delhi. Our bosses are the four and a half crore people of Odisha,” Patnaik said while addressing the first executive body meeting of the new Biju Yuva Janata Dal Committee.
“Congress Governments in the state were remote-controlled from Delhi. BJP Governments in other States also follow the direction of the national leadership. National parties are bound to compromise on the distinctive requirements of a State for gains in the larger national context. State leaders of national parties neither have the voice to insist on protecting our unique heritage nor do they have the intent to do so in a hierarchical centralised national party structure. BJD is the only regional party that is working hard to preserve and promote the unique identity of Odisha,” Patnaik asserted.
The primary objective of national parties is to win elections and have power to form Government at the Centre. And the State leadership of a national party basically impresses the national leadership to get crucial posts or become Ministers. The BJD Government has been urging the Centre for ‘Special State’ status for Odisha as the State faces natural disasters every year but to no avail. Both BJP and Congress had promised to accord special category status to Odisha in their poll manifestos but conveniently forget it after elections, Patnaik said.
“We have also been fighting for the water of Mahanadi, Odishi music to be declared as classical and inclusion of Kosali and Ho languages in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution,” he pointed out. Speaking about the uniqueness of Odisha, Patnaik said, “It was the first linguistic State to be formed in country.