BJP leaders on Sunday came down heavily on the State Government for ‘taking mileage of all Centre-sponsored pro-people schemes’ and termed this attitude as an ‘undemocratic mentality’. The party was observing the Jayaprakash Narayan birthday as ‘Democracy Safety Day’.
Addressing the meeting, Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, in an apparent reference to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, said the leader who is ruling the State is like former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who had promulgated Emergency in the country. “The leader has adopted an undemocratic mentality of taking mileage of all schemes and plans being run with Central funds,” Pradhan alleged.
Citing an example, Pradhan said that while the Centre and the State are contributing Rs 20.5 and Rs 250, respectively, for a kg of rice being provided to poor families, but the BJD is terming the Re 1-a-kg rice scheme as the State’s own.
He called upon BJP workers to initiate a movement against the State Government like one Jayaprakash did against Indira Gandhi during Emergency.
Many senior leaders, including State president KV Singh Deo and Bishwabhushan Harichandan, were present.