Dharmendra’s Remark On Odisha Youth, Entrepreneurs Sparks Political Debate

Bhubaneswar: Union Education Minister Dharmendra’s remark in social media on the condition of youth and entrepreneurs during BJD rule in Odisha has triggered a row in the political circles in the state.

While leaders of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) have described the Union Minister’s observation about the plight of the youth in the state as correct, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) claimed that people of the state are aware that Naveen Patnaik government has been working to safeguard their interests.

Dharmendra, in a post in social media, recalled a poem of 1908 by Fakir Mohan Senapati about the plight of the people during Brithsh rule. The youths and entrepreneurs of Odisha appear to be facing similar situations, he said.

Stating that the Union Minister has made a right observation, senior BJP leader Prithviraj Harichandan claimed that the situation in Odisha is very much similar to that witnessed during the British era.

The elected government in Odisha has been doing the same thing as practised by the British and the youths in the state are in a state of helplessness and despair, he claimed, adding that entrepreneurship is being destroyed in the state.

Rebuffing the contention of Dharmandra, BJD leader and Rajya Sabha member Sasmit Patra said a person rejected by the people of Odisha, who has been getting elected to Parliament from Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, has suddenly remembered about the concerns of Odisha.

“Where was this concern when the person’s party MPs from Odisha conspired in Delhi to stop 7 lakh PMAY houses from being given to the tribal brothers and sisters of western and southern Odisha, when 5 kg free rice under PMGKAY started in 2020 was stopped for the people of Odisha, Rs. 2930 per quintal paddy as MSP was denied to the farmers of Odisha, Odisha languished in railway connectivity despite providing 2 lakh crores as revenue to railways in last 9 years,” he said in a social media post.

Apparently referring to Dharmendra, Patra sought to know as  to where was this person’s concerns for Odisha when National Highways like Sambalpur-Cuttack NH are languishing and people are suffering.

People of Odisha know who has been working for them and who has been protecting their interest and therefore have been blessing for past 23 years, the BJD leader said, adding that people also know who are not working for them and have been therefore rejecting them.