Bhubaneswar: On a day when Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik landed in Gujarat to meet the Odia migrants there, his Gujarat counterpart Vijay Rupani saw politics behind his visit as the state was heading for assembly polls.
“The Chief Minister is remembering about the people of Odisha staying in Gujarat 19 years after being in power. Gujarat is not going to polls but Odisha is heading for assembly elections,” Rupani said as he took potshots at Patnaik’s Gujarat visit.
The Gujarat CM was here on a day long visit and addressed the media, where he also targetted Congress president Rahul Gandhi for allegedly spreading misinformation about the Rafale deal.
Taking on the Odisha CM for setting aside the Ayushman Bharat healthcare scheme and rolling out Biju Swasthiya Kalyan Yojana, Rupani said by doing so, Patnaik was depriving the healthcare benefits the Odias residing in Gujarat would have availed in Gujarat.
The benefits of state-sponsored schemes cannot be availed beyond the state limit, he said.
Seeking to remind the Odisha Government that they were equally concerned about the wellbeing of the Odia speaking people in Gujarat, Rupani said the BJP government in the state provided them with good homes under Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana and Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojana. The migrants, he said, were residing in thatched accommodation when they had arrived.
Rupani is among a host of senior BJP leaders entrusted by the party to hold presser across the country today to counter the Congress attack on the Rafale issue, especially after the Supreme Court ruling, absolving the government of any wrongdoings in purchasing the fighter jets.
While the Gujarat CM was in Bhubaneswar, the Odisha CM flew to Gujarat this afternoon and join the Odisha Mahotsav celebration in Surat and address a gathering there. He is also scheduled to meet some patients from Odisha in Ahmedabad.
Gujarat is home to about eight lakh Odias and Patnaik’s visit there has been criticised by the Opposition as an attempt to play politics ahead of the Assembly elections. BJP leader Dharmendra Pradhan and senior Congress leader Narasingha Mishra had on Sunday described his visit to Gujarat as a political gimmick.
Turning his attention to the Rafale deal, Rupani accused the Congress president of spreading lies surrounding the purchase of the jets and demanded his resignation.
He said Gandhi was indulging in a misinformation campaign on the deal and was lying on the issue for political gains. He also demanded an apology from him for misleading the nation.
“There were no irregularities committed on the Rafale deal. Despite this, the Congress president was lying on the issue and spreading a misinformation campaign. He should resign from his position,” Rupani said, slamming at Congress’ stand on the deal.
Referring to the Supreme Court ruling, Rupani dared the Congress for a debate on the deal in the ongoing winter session of Parliament. He also tore into the party for questioning the judgement of the Apex Court.
Earlier, Rupani had said that the “clean image of the Narendra Modi government has got a boost following the Supreme Court order”.
