BHUBANESWAR: Politics over Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s proposed visit to Surat in Gujarat on Monday is hotting up with Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan reiterating the demand for implementation of Ayushman Bharat, the largest health insurance scheme of the world, in the State.
“If the CM really cares for Odias, I request him to forget his pride and implement Ayushman Bharat in the State. By not implementing the scheme, the CM is keeping Odia people and non-resident Odias (NROs) deprived of free medical services,” Pradhan said on Sunday.
Criticising Naveen for exhibiting his concern for Odia people living in Surat just before the 2019 elections, the Union Minister said the CM had never thought of paying a visit to them during his 19 years of rule in the State.
Lambasting the CM for doing nothing for the welfare of Odias living in Surat, Pradhan said the irony is that a majority of them are from Naveen’s home district Ganjam. This clearly demonstrated that the ruling BJD has failed to create job opportunities for youths of the State in the last 19 years, he said.
“The CM is visiting Surat with the explicit intention of wooing Odia voters there. It is my sincere request to him to understand Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s model of development in Gujarat and replicate the same in Odisha to provide job to large number of unemployed youths of the State,” Pradhan remarked.
“I once again appeal to the CM to implement Ayushman Bharat as the healthcare scheme will benefit about 12 lakh Odias living in Surat alone. Besides, a large number of people living in other metros of the country will be benefited,” he said.
The CM’s visit to the textile city of the country, the first of its kind, is happening two months after Pradhan’s visit. The Union Minister was there to attend ‘Odisha Parba’, a cultural programme organised by an Odia Samaj.
Opposition questions Naveen’s proposed Surat trip
Bhubaneswar: Even as Opposition Congress and BJP have raised questions over the proposed Surat visit of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the BJD on Sunday maintained that such criticism is unnecessary and politically motivated. Stating that the Congress and BJP are scared over the CM’s proposed visit, Rajya Sabha Member and BJD spokesperson Pratap Deb said, “This is nothing new as every year since BJD came to power, Ministers visit Surat.
No doubt elections will be held after three months, but the BJP is apprehensive because of the results of the recently concluded Assembly elections and the outcome of Gujarat polls.” Stating that the BJP has returned to power in Gujarat because of Odia people of Surat, Deb said Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had also visited the place thinking that Odia people of Surat will play the same role in Odisha (Ganjam).
But that is not going to be the case, he said. Leader of Opposition and Congress veteran Narasingh Mishra said the proposed visit of the CM is obviously because of elections. “Majority of Odia people in Surat are from Ganjam and they will cast their vote here,” he said. Senior Congress leader and former union minister Srikant Jena also criticised the proposed visit of Naveen to Surat and described it as a drama for votes.