Bhubaneswar: Mounting a scathing attack on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday accused him of not only neglecting the people, including journalists of Odisha, but also having hatred towards them.
“Though the people of Odisha have voted Naveen to power so many times, the Chief Minister has been neglecting and hating them,” state BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal told reporters in Bhubaneswar.
Remembering Utkal Gaurab Madhusudan Das on his birth anniversary, Biswal said the legendary legal luminary stood for ‘Odia Asmita’ and always placed state’s honour on top. “Unfortunately, those in power in the state are now neglecting Odia Asmita and the people of Odisha,” he claimed.
Coming down heavily on Naveen, the BJP leader claimed that the CM is only fond of national media and media persons from Delhi as he hates journalists of Odisha.
Claiming that Naveen gives interviews to only English and Hindi press of national media, Samal sought to know as to how many times CM has given interview to Odia journalists and allowed them into Naveen Niwas or held discussion with them at the state secretariat about their problems and burning issues before the state.
Unfortunately, the CM gives interview to media people from Delhi who have little knowledge about the state, he said.
Naveen is free to speak to the media during elections, but these are ‘paid interviews’ in which questions are fixed, the BJP leader claimed, adding that if Odia journalists are given opportunity, they would put real questions which are relevant to the state. “If the CM has guts, let him give proper interview to Odia journalists,” he said.
The BJP leader also lashed out at the state government for not opening all the four gates of Shree Jagannath Temple in Puri and said it amounted to an assault on Hindu religious sentiments and beliefs.
Stating that each of the four gates of the 12th century shrine has its religious significance, Samal said all four gates should be opened without delay for the convenience of the devotees.
