BHUBANESWAR/ANGUL: Launching a scathing attack on the ruling BJD, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Friday said that the ensuing election is going to be fought between Odia pride and slave mentality.
Addressing voters during campaigning at Chhendipada and Angul, Pradhan said many people want to be slave in an inactive and inefficient government which lasted for 25 years. “But I do not like to be a slave,” he said and added that there has been no development in Odisha in 25 years.
Calling the BJD government inefficient and responsible for lack of any development in the state, Pradhan alleged that non-Odia government servants have conspired to loot the state.
“This election will be against those who want to loot Odisha. It is fight for Odia pride, self-respect and independence,” he said. The union minister said political persons have been ignored in the BJD government.
He criticised the government for its all round failure and said there is no drinking water facility in villages, no doctor in hospitals, schools also have no teachers and thousands migrate to other states for jobs. But the state government and BJD leaders claim they are always working for development, he added.
Pradhan who is BJP’s Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat candidate said the popularity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is growing in the country and there is Modi wave in Odisha. With the blessings of Lord Jagannath, BJP will form government and take the state on the path development. He urged people to vote for BJP to protect Odia culture, language and pride.
The union minister also participated in rallies at Angul and Chhendipada.
He also attended a ‘mishrana parba’ event where local BJD leader Ashok Pradhan joined BJP accompanied by more than 2,000 workers.