BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister for Human Resources Development Prakash Javadekar on Sunday lashed out at Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik dubbing his Government as inefficient and anti-development.
Asserting that the BJP will come to the power in the State in the next election, Javadekar said people of the State have made up their mind for a change of government.
Terming the BJD Government as ‘corrupt’ and a ‘PC’ (percentage commission) Government, Javadekar told reporters during his visit to a slum in Buddha Nagar that it has lost credibility due to rampant corruption and failure on all fronts.Hitting at the State Government for stalling the State’s progress in the last 17 years, Javadekar said people are fed up with the ruling party.The Union Minister had lunch in the house of D Laxmi, an old party worker of Buddha Nagar Basti, on the second day of his stay to the city.
Asked why he chose this particular slum, Javadekar said the BJD Government was hell bent on evicting the slum dwellers as most of them are BJP supporters. The Government failed in its mission as the slum dwellers fought resolutely against the eviction drive. “Besides, I could not refuse the invitation of Laxmi who is an old party worker,” he said.
Javadekar, who arrived here on Saturday on a three-day visit, had supported Pradhan’s Nabakalebara (change of Government) remark saying, Dharmendra is absolutely correct and Puri will ultimately turn out to be the ‘Panipat’ for the regional party.Earlier in the day, Javadekar reviewed the organisational works of the party in Bhubaneswar Parliamentary constituency with BJP leaders of the seven Assembly constituencies coming under the Lok Sabha seat.
BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra criticised Union Minister Prakash Javadekar for raising questions on the State Government’s performance. Javadekar would have got a clear picture on progress made by Odisha during the last 17 years if he had visited the State before 2000, Patra said and added that the Naveen Patnaik Government has taken strong steps to check corruption at all levels of the administration.
Later in the evening, Javadekar addressed a function organised by National Council for Martial Tradition and Culture to mark the bi-centenary celebration of Paika rebellion.