Baripada: The Baripada rally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday turned out to be more of Congress-bashing than that of Naveen Patnaik government as he dwelled over the VVIP chopper deal and its government’s stand in Madhya Pradesh against the recitation of Vande Mataram in the State Secretariat.
Modi’s criticism of the Naveen Patnaik government remained confined to its alleged negligence towards the welfare of women and children.
In his 30-minute speech, he did not take the name of the CM but rapped his government for failing to deliver justice to the much-talked-about 2011 Pipili gang rape-murder victim. While the court has acquitted the two of the accused brothers, Modi demanded a proper probe into the incident.
Political observers saw Modi’s speech, during which he took a cautious approach in attacking the Odisha government, as signs of BJP tilting towards the regional satraps such as BJD as possible ally ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
The outcome of the recent state elections and poll projections certainly do not look encouraging for the Modi government.
It also strengthened the Congress’ allegation of tacit understanding between the two parties. In July last year, the BJD members had abstained from the non-confidence motion brought against the BJP-led government at the Centre. Such a subtle show of support has come to the fore time and again in the last four years.
Addressing the gathering at the Chhow Ground, Modi said Odisha had fallen behind in education, health, women’s security and employment during the 20 year rule of the BJD government.
“While the BJP government at the Centre has introduced death sentence against acts of atrocities against women, a big question mark has arisen over providing security to those in Odisha,” he said and referred to the alleged Pipili rape incident.
He also accused the government of depriving the people of Odisha from the Ayushman Bharat and appealed the State Government to be part of the mission. On ‘Ujjwala’, Modi said, in 32 months, more than 6 crore beneficiaries have got gas connections under this scheme.
His sharpest criticism was, however, reserved for the Congress party at the rally, where he accused the “grand old party” of compromising with national security by hobnobbing with defence deal brokers.
“A letter has revealed that Christian Mitchell had connections with top Congress leaders. He had all knowledge on the movement of classified files and minutes of crucial meetings held with the Cabinet Committee of Security. I am not sure if the Prime Minister had so much information as Mitchell,” Modi said while alluding to the VVIP chopper scam.
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman came in for praise from the PM for exposing the Congress party during her reply on the Rafale deal in Lok Sabha on Friday. He said “people who are raising questions (the rafale deal) are hatching a conspiracy to weaken the defence forces. Now that their intentions are compromised, they are resorting to tantrums inside the House”.
“The thieves will first try to remove the gatekeeper for making good their intentions,” he PM said, taunting at Congress.
Targetting the newly elected Congress government in Madhya Pradesh for restricting government employees from reciting Vande Mataram, Modi said the move has triggered a huge controversy, forcing the government there to scurry for cover. This government, he said, is surviving on outside support.
Earlier, at a separate event, he unveiled projects worth Rs 4500 crore for the State and said they are aimed at improving the lives of the people.
The projects unveiled by the PM are as follows:
5. Balasore-Haldia-Durgapur section of Paradip-Haldia-Durgapur LPG Pipeline of Indian Oil Corporation Limited
6. 2nd Passenger Train from Tatanagar to Badampahar
7. Doubling of Naranpur-Basantpur and Chillikidara-Sagadapata
8. Multi modal Logistics Park (MMLP) , Balasore.
9. The PM also inaugurated the conservation and development works for Rasikaray Temple & Excavated Structure at the ancient fort Haripurgarh.
10. He also launched the new Passport Sewa Kendras at Bhadrak, Cuttack, Jajpur, Aska, Keonjhar and Dhenkanal.
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