Dharmendra Slams Naveen For ‘Caricaturish’ Potshot, Invites Him For Issue-Based Debate

Sambalpur: Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is the BJP MP candidate from Sambalpur, on Tuesday blasted the ruling BJD in Odisha, accusing it of taking election campaigning lightly.

“The CM, Naveen Patnaik, took potshots at Prime Minister Narendra Modi through a video message. In a democracy, it would have been appropriate had he responded to the PM’s remarks in a public rally. The ‘daydreaming’ response from an aircraft rather appeared caricaturish,” he told a presser.

Dharmendra further challenged the CM for a public debate on Maa Samalei temple premises. “The PM has raised appropriate concerns over the state of affairs in Odisha. I would like to repeat five of them. Why water crisis persists in rural areas of the state despite the Centre sanctioning adequate funds for it. Why has the state failed to provide irrigation facilities in areas adjacent to the Mahanadi? Why is the state witnessing high dropout rates in school? Why are posts of teachers in schools lying vacant. Acute shortage of doctors has hit government-run medical establishments in Odisha and people are deprived of primary treatment with the state government giving more importance to referral hospitals. Why has the state government failed to provide primary healthcare to its people even after 24 years. Why migration of labourer have become a norm in the state?” he asked.

The senior BJP leader said that the PM raised these questions in his rallies on Monday and ‘the BJP is day dreaming’ was the response from the BJD and its CM. “With what dreams has the CM been building a castle in the state? What responsibilities have you fulfilled? Why is the state grappling with water crisis, irrigation problem, absence of teachers and doctors and distress migration even after 24 years of the BJD rule,” he said.

Dharmendra also questioned why municipal elections has not been held in Sambalpur for the last 10 years. “The Sambalpur Development Authority (SDA) staffers are minting money while issuing building plan approval. The BJP will stop such illegal and corrupt practices once it comes to power in Odisha,” he asserted.

He further said that the saffron party has emphasised on welfare of the farmers in its Sankalp Patra for Odisha. “Paddy procurement is the backbone of farm economy and the current rate of Rs 2,183 per quintal is released by the Centre. Farmers have been demanding an increase in the procurement price of paddy. Therefore, a decision has been taken to increase the procurement price to 3,100 per quintal of paddy in Odisha by June-end and the amount will be transferred to the farmer’s bank account within 48 hours. We will also do away with the token system which has become a means to harass the farmers,” he said, adding that the Chhattisgarh model will be implemented in Odisha.

The Union Minister further alleged that the BJD was spreading lies that the BJP will stop SHGs once it comes to power in Odisha. “Such lies are being peddled since the Election Commission stopped the government from taking its supporters abroad by spending public money. The structuring of SHGs is a central scheme under Rural Development Ministry and it is the Centre which wavies 7% interest on bank loans taken by them. This is a successful scheme of the Narendra Modi government and the state is only tasked with the distribution of the funds contrary to the claims being made by the latter of having led this movement,” he said.

If BJP forms the government in Odisha, all the announcements will be followed with zero tolerance policy to prevent corruption, he added.

On Monday, Naveen had said that the BJP was daydreaming shortly after Modi told the gatherings at public rallies that they will form the next government in Odisha.