Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday said that Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan should think twice before making any derogatory comment against Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as people of Odisha don’t tolerate any attack on the CM.
Countering the verbal attack on the CM by the Union Minister, BJD MP Sasmit Patra said “People of Odisha will not like and tolerate any attack on him. You learnt it the hard way in 2018 Bijepur by-poll when a BJP person threw chappals at the CM. The people of Bijepur did not like it and made BJD victorious with a very high margin. You are again attacking him today with words; the people of Padampur will give a befitting reply.”
Patra said that BJP leaders have been publicly humiliating, insulting, denigrating and using derogatory language against a woman who has lost her father recently. The saffron party should have some decency and dignity for an Odia tribal woman who is fighting an election, irrespective of the Party lines, Patra added.
You (Dharmendra) don’t pull up your leaders for denigrating and insulting a woman and womanhood. You don’t speak in this regard. All of us have daughters and sisters. Should we allow such humiliation to them in public? Why are you silent on this?, Patra asked
Speaking on the GST levied on Kendu leaf, Patra said Odisha CM and Finance Minister have urged the Centre multiple times for withdrawal of 18 per cent GST on Kendu leaf. BJP candidate Pradip Purohit considers himself a leader of the pluckers. Has he ever met Union Finance Minister over Odisha’s demand for withdrawal of GST? The MP questioned.
Patra also lambasted Pradhan for the BJP Minister lying to the people of Padampur over railway project. Patra said the Railway department receives Rs 30,000 cr from Odisha. “If you want Odisha to undertake its own railways, don’t take the 30,000 Crores that Odisha gives to railways. Let us keep our money; we will build our railways with our money,” the Rajya Sabha member pointed out.
The BJD leader also highlighted the CM’s promise during Bijepur by-election and speedy implementation of the announcement.
Naveen Patnaik is the first CM who has regularized contractual employees. BJP CM’s are calling Odisha Government and asking how you did it? “But, the scehems under your Ministry are all run by contractual employees. Why haven’t you been able to regularize those contractual posts? Patra asked Pradhan.
