BJP Rajya Sabha MP and National Spokesperson Dr. Sudhanshu Trivedi launched a scathing attack on the Congress party and its leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday, terming him the “biggest threat to the country and its democracy.”
Addressing a press conference at the BJP State Headquarters in Bhubaneswar, Dr. Trivedi alleged that Rahul Gandhi is operating at the behest of foreign divisive forces. He contrasted this with the rapid economic and social progress India is achieving under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
While major developed nations grapple with economic distress and political instability, India is emerging as the world’s fastest-growing economy, Trivedi noted. He emphasized the success of poverty alleviation programs, stating that the extreme poverty rate in the last 12 years has plummeted from 27.1% to 2.6%, lifting nearly 50 crore people above the extreme poverty line.
Odisha’s Growth and Vision 2036
Dr. Trivedi highlighted the synergy of the “double-engine government,” which is rapidly transforming Odisha into a hub for semiconductors, artificial intelligence, data centers, and defense manufacturing.
He reiterated that Odisha’s ‘Vision 2036’ is seamlessly integrated with PM Modi’s ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ resolution. The state government aims to build a $500 billion economy by 2036, scaling up to $1500 billion by 2047. Furthermore, he noted that Odia culture is receiving global recognition, pointing to the display of the Konark wheel at the G20 Summit in Bharat Mandapam and the Prime Minister recently gifting a Konark replica to the German Chancellor.
Opposition Creating Anarchy
Unable to tolerate this progress, Dr. Trivedi stated, the Congress and certain opposition parties are resorting to creating anarchy.
He heavily criticized the Congress for attempting to defame democratic institutions like the Election Commission, the Supreme Court, and EVMs out of sheer electoral frustration. Addressing the opposition’s allegations regarding the deletion of names from the voter list, Trivedi dismissed them as baseless and misleading.
He clarified the data regarding the 13 crore names removed from the voter rolls: 2.8 crore were deceased, 6.3 crore had permanently relocated, 1 crore were duplicate entries, and 3.01 crore were absent from their registered addresses. He accused the Congress of shedding “crocodile tears” for these voters in a covert attempt to protect illegal infiltrators on the voting lists.
“Save Democracy” Padyatra in Kataka
Following the press conference, Dr. Trivedi proceeded to Kataka to participate in the “Ganatantra Banchao, Arajakata Hatao” (Save Democracy, Remove Anarchy) mega Padyatra.
The march, which began with the garlanding of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s statue at College Square and concluded at Dolamundai, saw the participation of BJP State President and Rajya Sabha MP Manmohan Samal, State General Secretary Biranchi Narayan Tripathy, and numerous local leaders and party workers.
