BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Monday lashed out at the Opposition political parties accusing them of obstructing development work in the state and warned that people will never forgive them.
Launching the ‘Jana Sampark Padayatra’ of the BJD from the Badagada locality here, the chief minister said the Opposition parties were not happy with the fast-paced development that the state was witnessing.
“The Opposition parties are anti-development and anti-people. They mislead the people with wrong information. They derive pleasure from obstructing development work. The people of Odisha are well aware of their designs and continuously rejecting them,” he said.
The Padayatra is an annual mass contact programme of the BJD. However, it has assumed importance in view of the elections early next year. The chief minister’s speech indicated that the Opposition campaign will be strongly countered by his party. Earlier, while replying to the Home department supplementary budget discussion in the Assembly on Thursday, the chief minister had warned the Opposition members that those who stall development work never return to the House.
He said the Opposition attempted to obstruct the ongoing development works at Jagannath temple in Puri and Lingaraj temple here. “But people have realised their anti-people and anti-development attitude. People will never forgive them for opposing resolution of their problems,” he said.
Stating that the BJD is working for the upliftment of the downtrodden, women, ST and SC communities and youth, the chief minister said Odisha has taken giant strides on the path of transformation. “The Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana has proved to be a game changer in health sector. The state has also set example in transforming schools, food safety and sports,” he added.
He called upon his party workers to take the message of development to all houses in the state. “Let us work unitedly for the victory of conch, the symbol of BJD,” he said.
The chief minister paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his 154th birth anniversary stating that he has been the source of inspiration for all people. He said that a long-standing demand of BJD was fulfilled with the passing of the Women’s Reservation Bill in Parliament.
The Padayatra is being organised in every ward and panchayat throughout Odisha till October 11. BJD workers and leaders will also attend training camps, which will be organised in all the Assembly constituencies.
BJP demands white paper on Odisha govt’s achievements
Launching a counter attack on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over his “anti-people and anti-development” remark against Opposition parties, leader of Opposition Jayanarayan Mishra demanded the former to come out with a white paper enlisting his achievements and pro-people initiatives in the last 23 years.
“We understand the irritation of the chief minister because the Opposition parties are always asking him very uncomfortable questions. The chief minister has not kept a single promise he made be it housing for all by 2022 and pipe water supply to all households, cold storage in each block, 35 per cent irrigation to every block, construction of seven barrages on river Mahanadi. The list is long,” the LoP said.
He said Odisha still tops the list in poverty and poor law and order record with highest atrocities against women. Ganjam, the home district of the chief minister, is witnessing highest number of political murders - 11 within a month, he added.
The primary education and health care system have crumbled in the state due to lack of teachers and doctors. Primary teachers are on the streets demanding job regularisation and minimum salary.
“I fail to understand the objective of Jana Sampark Padayatra of BJD led by the chief minister when his government has spent Rs 500 crore to address the grievance of the people at their doorsteps,” Mishra remarked.