BHUBANESWAR: The missing keys of Ratnabhandar, the treasure trove of Puri Srimandir, and the BJD government's reluctance for reinventorisation of the valuables stored in it has once again come to the centre stage of electoral politics with Prime Minister Narendra Modi questioning the silence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the issue.
Addressing an election rally at Phulbani, the Prime Minister launched a scathing attack on the Naveen Patnaik government for running away from the issue when Jagannath devotees are agog to know the condition of the Ratnabhandar of which the last inventory was done 45 years ago.
"It is a matter of grave concern that the keys of the Ratnabhandar has been missing for the last 6 years and the state government kept telling people of recovering the duplicate keys. What kind of a government is it if it could not keep the keys of the temple trove safe," the PM remarked.
"Missing of the Ratnabhandar keys is a serious issue, what is more serious and dangerous is the existence of duplicate keys," he said.
Modi sought to know, "What was the purpose of the duplicate keys? Who was the custodian of it and was the treasure trove opened slily in night? Are the valuables of the deities safe or is everything stolen?"
"The people have the right to know," Modi said.
Chiding the state government for not making the report of the (Justice Raghubir Das) commission that probed into the issue of missing keys public, the, Prime Minister said, "I promise that honour and sanctity of Ratnabhandar will be restored. This is Modi guarantee."
The prime minister further claimed that the Congress will not win even 50 seats in the Lok Sabha elections and will not be able to get opposition party status after the polls.
He asserted that a "double engine" government will be formed in the state and "a son or daughter of the soil who understands Odia language and culture" will be made the chief minister of the BJP government.
Lambasting the Congress and BJD governments which ruled the state for about 75 years for keeping the state poor and Kandhamal backward, Modi said, "BJD and Congress had declared Kandhamal as a backward district. I decided to turn such backward districts into aspirational districts of the country. I monitor the work being done in these districts regularly and am happy to know that Kandhamal is making rapid progress."
Stating that Naveen Patnaik has no political will for economic progress of Odisha despite its huge potential, the PM said Gujarat has no mineral resources but it is now at the pinnacle of progress.
"I throw a challenge to Naveen Babu to name the districts and the district headquarters without looking at a written paper. If a CM does not know about his state and the problems of the people what good he will do for you," Modi asked.
"You have given nearly 25 years to BJD. Give BJP a chance. It is my guarantee that I will make Odisha prosperous within 5 years," he said.
He said Kandhamal has enough tourism potential and Daringbadi is considered as the Kashmir of Odisha. Modi further promised to set up spices park in the tribal dominated district.
Expressing his gratitude to the people of the state for the love they have shown to him in Bhubaneswar, where he held a rally on Friday, he said, "I am hugely indebted to you for the love and blessings you showered on me. It is my promise to you that I will return your love by making your state a viksit Odisha."
Before addressing the rally, the Prime Minister took the blessing of Padma Shri Purnamasi Jani, poet and social activist, and Tula Behera, a beggar who donated Rs one lakh to Jagannath temple by touching their feet. In the second leg of campaigning in Odisha, the Prime Minster also addressed election rallies at Balangir and Bargarh.
(With inputs from PTI)
