Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Dharmendra Pradhan (BJP) on Sunday termed the Naveen Patnaik Government as paralysed, incompetent and corrupt.
Pradhan, when asked by mediapersons to comment on the second anniversary of the fourth term of the BJD Government, said even after 16 long years of rule by the BJD, people in the State were still struggling for drinking water and electricity and job opportunities.
“If I analyse the performance of the Government’s 16 years of rule, this is absolutely disappointing,” said Pradhan.
“In my honest opinion, the performance of the BJD Government in the last 16 years is dismal. A party, in spite of being in power for such a long time, has failed to provide basic amenities like drinking water and electricity to the people. Besides, it has failed to ensure justice to the duped chit fund investors,” said Pradhan.
“As you (Naveen Patnaik) have got massive (electoral) support of the people, you should take up the responsibility for an all-round development of the people and the State. But you don’t do this. Hence, you should realise that you have completely disappointed the people by giving them an inept and corrupt Government,” Pradhan observed.
Strongly countering the Union Minister’s remarks, BJD spokesperson Pratap Keshari Deb recalled the promises made by Prime Minister Modi during election campaign regarding bringing of black money from abroad, construction of National Highways and mining royalty to the State and said the promises are yet to be fulfilled.
Deb said, “He (Pradhan) has raised certain issues citing our failure. I want to remind that the Union Government had made many promises to the people of the State with regard to mining royalty, building of highways, inclusion of Odisha in the industrial corridor and many others, which are not yet met.” “All the Central Government has done in the past two years is cutting assistance in the social, agriculture, irrigation, women and child welfare sectors, among others,” he added.