Bhubaneswar: Senior BJD leader and 5T Chairman VK Pandian on Tuesday slammed the BJP for taking the people of Odisha on a ride. He accused the saffron party of making false and hollow promises in its manifesto and termed them as ‘Joomla’
Targetting the BJP leaders for insulting Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in their election speeches, the IAS office-turned-politician said, “Several BJP leaders are visiting Odisha now and insulting the Chief Minister. Some of them have not even stopped from insulting Lord Jagannath. The people of Odisha will never like anyone dragging Lord Jagannath into politics. They will never tolerate such behaviour and languages of the BJP leaders.”
Pandian claimed that the BJP has already shown its intentions to shut down Mission Shakti. “If they form the government in Odisha, they will stop the mission as it has already criticised Mission Shakti and are plotting to it shut down, Pandian said.
“Similarly, the BJP has announced its intention to close BSKY and implement the Ayushman Bharat scheme, which only offers benefits to the BPL families. But the BSKY scheme is for everyone. Almost 90% of people in Odisha are benefitted from this scheme. When we form the next government we will include everyone in Odisha in the BSKY Naveen card scheme,” he added.
Stating that the Naveen Patnaik government has launched several welfare schemes for students, women, and farmers since 2019 and is working for the bright future of youths in the state, the BJD leader said, “Giving importance to the youth sector, the Naveen government has arranged 5T schools and colleges, and a youth budget. Student scholarship schemes have been launched for 98% of the children. On the contrary, the BJP is planning to stop all these welfare schemes in Odisha. The BJP has ignored the interests of the youth and not made any mention of them in its manifesto,” Pandian claimed.
“Odisha Chief Minister has formed Special Development Councils (SDCs) identifying tribals and uplifting their lot. But no state ruled by the BJP has formed SDC despite having more tribal populations. If the BJP comes to power in Odisha, it will stop the SDCs here,” he said adding, “Under the BJD rule we have peace and sound law and order system in Odisha but there is no peace or and the law and order is in doldrums in the states that are ruled by the double-engine government.”
“The BJD has announced to supply free after it forms the government for the sixth time. BJP too has promised concessions in electricity through solar energy – the cost of installing the solar panels will, however, be borne by the consumers. It is again a joomla because it has been raising the price of LPG from time to time despite promising to provide the cylinders free to the consumers”
Pandian said that even the promise of Rs 301 MSP is another Joomla. “The BJP has been in power for 10 years at the Centre but never thought about the farmers. Now, before the elections, it is trying to lure the farmers with false promises.” The Subhadra Yojana of the BJP is also a hoax, Pandian alleged.
