BHUBANESWAR: With Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik intensifying his attack on the Narendra Modi Government at the Centre for neglecting Odisha, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday asked the BJD supremo about his vision for the State for next five years.The BJP has clearly spelt out its mission and vision for Odisha in the party manifesto for 2019 elections. The BJD, on the other hand, is reluctant to give an account of its achievements in the last 19 years and seems to have no plan for the State if it returns to power, Pradhan said.
On completion of four years of the NDA Government at the Centre, Pradhan said, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had specifically come to the State in May last year to give an account of his Government’s achievements. During his recent visit to the city on April 16, the PM told the people that his Government has given financial assistance of `3 lakh crore to the State in the last five years which is five times more that what the previous UPA Government had given to Odisha in 10 years.
The PM had accused the BJD Government for not telling the truth to people about the Central assistance for the fear that their inefficiency in fund utilisation will get exposed. Daring the CM to refute the charges, Pradhan said the people have the right to know about utilisation of Central assistance and the benefit accrued to the State.
Responding to the CM’s allegation of BJP resorting to violence and hooliganism, Pradhan said the attack on Election Commission officials at Pipili by Minister Pradip Maharathy and his supporters and the subsequent arrest of the BJD leader is proof enough to decide which party is promoting violence.“The CM should apologise to the people for fielding Maharathy despite knowing his past antecedents. Justice has been done following his arrest for attacking an executive magistrate on duty,” Pradhan added.