Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president Amit Shah on Friday pulled up the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD Government severely by terming it inefficient and unfit to rule the State further and called upon people to throw it out and bring the BJP to power.
“Seventeen years is a very long period for any Government to effect development of the State. Getting such a long period, the Naveen Patnaik Government has failed to provide basic needs to the people. Odisha is still where it was 17 years ago while States like Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Jharkhand and Goa have been marching forward on the path of development,” Shah told a huge gathering at the BJP’s Jan Jagaran Mahasamavesh held at Baramunda ground here.
Starting with a Pranam to what he described as “the land of lord Jagannath”, Shah mounted a scathing attack, saying, “Naveeenji, you have been making a charge that the Narendra Modi Government has done little for Odisha’s development during its 2.5 years of rule. I have come here to answer your charge, but before that I want to ask what you have done for Odisha people who have voted you to power for long 17 years.”
Shah said that in Odisha, roads have not been developed, drinking water has not been supplied to all households and 41 per cent of households are still to get electricity.
“Odia youths are migrating to Gujarat, Delhi and other States in search of jobs. The huge share of Odias in the Surat population says what you have done for the youths in these years. leaving parents and newly-married wives, the Odia youths are working as labourers outside Odisha,” he said in further criticism of the State Government.
He too alleged that Odisha has dubiously stood first in failing to develop standards of the tribal community. “Tribal people are not getting rice two times a day. In Kalahandi, Dana Majhi carried his wife’s body on his shoulders and walked down 10 km. It all shows the real picture of tribals’ development in Odisha,” said Shah, adding, “It is not understood where the huge amount of money coming from the Centre for agriculture development going.”
Asking the Chief Minister to answer all his queries though a Press conference on Saturday(tomorrow), he said, “Only the BJP can bring development in Odisha, and the Prime Minister has already initiated efforts in this regard. Throw away the Naveen Patnaik Government and bring the BJP to power,” Shah called upon party workers and people in general.
Regarding the Modi Government’s contributions for Odisha, Shah made a comparison between the assistance provided by the UPA Government in 2013 and the amount given by the present NDA Government in 2016.
“In 2013, the Congress-led UPA Government had provided Rs 23,000 crore to Odisha while the NDA Government has given Rs 63,000 crore in 2016,” he said.
The NDA Government has provided Rs 1.30 lakh crore to Odisha during the two and a half years, said Shah.
As regards the ongoing criticism of the Modi Government for the decision on demonetisation, Shah said, “The lustre of leaders of the Opposition parties has faded after Modi’s hammering.”
“Demonetisation has created a sweeping flood for all Opposition leaders. like cats and rats and snakes and mongoose, they have climbed a tree together for safety and forgotten enmity among them in fear,” he remarked.
He too hailed the NDA Government’s success in conducting surgical strike on Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) and giving a free hand to the Army in combating the enemy soldiers. “The Army is not taking any permission from New Delhi to avenge killing of an Indian soldier now,” he said.