Odisha BJP Questions Naveen Patnaik Over BJD MP ‘Targeting’ President Murmu In Rajya Sabha

Bhubaneswar: A day after BJD MP Sulata Deo questioned President Droupadi Mumru’s silence on Manipur, Sambhal and atrocities against women in Odisha, BJP Odisha spokesperson Anil Biswal on Tuesday called out the regional party for unnecessarily dragging the highest office into petty politics.

“The manner in which a BJD Rajya Sabha MP dragged President Droupadi Murmu into petty politics, is not acceptable. The RS MP’s remarks has hurt the people of Odisha. The respect and admiration that Droupadi Murmu has earned after becoming the President is a matter of pride for the entire state,” he wrote in a series of tweets, which also questioned BJD president Naveen Patnaik’s stand on it.

“…..whether this is the personal opinion of the Rajya Sabha MP concerned or that of the party and its chief Naveen Babu?” Biswal asked.

The BJP spokespersons also mentioned about sudden power failure during the President’s convocation speech at Maharaja Sriram Chandra Bhanja Deo University in Odisha’s Baripada town during the previous BJD regime. “The party had insulted her then with the nine-minute power blackout which plunged the venue into darkness. Now, there is an attempt to insult her in Rajya Sabha. This does not augur well for a political party,” he said.

He also accused a BJD MP (Munna Khan) of mocking devotional song, ‘Ahe Daya Maya Biswa Bihari’. “Naveen babu had kept mum even then. Has he instructed his MPs in Rajya Sabha to attack Odia pride in the House?” he asked.

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Participating in the discussion on the ‘Glorious journey of 75 years of the Constitution of India’ in Rajya Sabha on Monday, Deo said: “Honourable President is a daughter of Odisha. She has expressed her anguish over the RG Kar rape case. But why is she silent on Manipur which is on boil for over the last one-and-a-half years? Why is she silent on Sambhal? There have been 1,250 rapes in Odisha in the last six months. Where is the President? When will she break her silence? Is this what our Constitution teaches us?” she had said.