Bhubaneswar: Hitting out at Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan for criticising Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik during Padampur Assembly bypoll campaign, BJD on Saturday said people will not tolerate any attack on Odisha’s ‘tallest’ leader and give a befitting reply.
Addressing a press meet in Bhubaneswar, Biju Janata Dal spokesperson and Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra referred to the statements made by Dharmendra in an election rally in Padampur and asked him to maintain dignity and respect while speaking about the Chief Minister.
The BJD leader was apparently reacting to Dharmendra’s statement at a poll meeting that Naveen appeared to have become tired for which he is unable to figure out what he was speaking.
“CM Naveen Patnaik is the tallest leader of Odisha. People of Odisha will not like and tolerate any attack on him,” Patra said.
Stating that BJP learnt it the hard way in 2018 Bijepur bypoll when its party person threw chappal at CM, he said people of Bijepur did not like it and made BJD victorious with a very high margin.
“You are again attacking him with words; the people of Padampur will not like it and give a befitting reply. Please maintain dignity and respect at least when you are speaking about CM,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.
Claiming that BJP seems to be disturbed and scared after seeing the massive response to CM’s rallies on Friday in Padampur, Patra said the saffron party has realised that it is headed for a massive defeat.
Patra further alleged that BJP leaders have been publicly humiliating, insulting, denigrating and using derogatory language against BJD candidate Barsha Singh Bariha, an Odia, tribal woman who has lost her father recently. BJP should forget politics and at least have some decency and dignity for an Odia tribal woman, he said.
“You don’t pull up your leaders for denigrating and insulting a woman and womanhood .. Should we allow such humiliation to them in public? Why are you silent on this?,” he asked.
On BJD government’s demand for withdrawal of 18 per cent GST on kendu leaf trade, he said the Finance Minister has repeatedly opposed 18% GST on kendu leaf in GST council and the Chief Minister has personally written letters to the Centre on the issue.
Slamming BJP Padampur railway line, Patra said the state government has announced land free and Rs 300 crore for the project. If the Centre wants Odisha to undertake its own railways, it should not take the Rs 30,000 crore that Odisha gives to railways.
On district status for Padampur and NAC formation of Paikamal, BJP should have had the magnanimity to welcome these major initiatives by the chief minister, he said.
Stating that huge development has taken place in Bijepur, Patra said in December, 2023 Dharmendra will be invited for the inauguration of the Gangadhar Meher Mega Lift Irrigation project to witness the massive transformations taking place in Bijepur.
Stating that Odisha is the first state to have regularised contractual employees, the BJD leader claimed that Chief Ministers of BJP-ruled states calling Odisha government and asking how it was done.
