Political tension escalates in Odisha as Congress, BJD, BJP trade barbs over Modi's remarks

Bhubaneswar: A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused opposition parties of conspiring against the country, the Congress, BJD and BJP on Saturday engaged in a war of words in Odisha, each blaming the other.

Senior BJD leader and party’s deputy leader in the Assembly, Prasanna Acharya, alleged that the BJP government in the state had done nothing in the last five months, except for changing the colour of buildings.

"In the last five months, the BJP government changed the names of 22 schemes that were earlier launched by the BJD government," Acharya said.

He also pointed out contradictions in the PM's stand, noting that Modi had once praised BJD and its leader Naveen Patnaik for adhering to the federal system.

"The PM himself praised Naveen Patnaik in Parliament and said the BJD government follows the federal system the most. Now, he is claiming that the previous government had changed central schemes. Modi is changing his stand," Acharya remarked.

Referring to Modi's claim that the Centre was giving priority to Odisha, Acharya said, "He made the same claim when he visited Telangana and Maharashtra. If Odisha is a priority, then why is the coal royalty not being revised?"

He emphasised that the central assistance Odisha received over the years was its rightful due, not the PM's mercy, adding, "It is given according to the federal system." In response, BJP leader and Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari rejected Acharya’s allegations.

He pointed out that Odisha had financially benefitted after Modi’s amendment of the MMDR Act in 2014 and the revision of rules under the Company Act.

"The state received huge revenue from mining, and companies were forced to spend on corporate social responsibility," Pujari said.

He also highlighted that the Modi government had allocated significantly more for the railway sector in Odisha compared to the UPA government.

"While the previous UPA government sanctioned a maximum of Rs 1,000 crore annually for the railway sector, the NDA government led by Modi has allocated around Rs 10,000 crore annually for railways in Odisha," Pujari added.

Meanwhile, Congress leader and former OPCC president Jaydev Jena accused the Prime Minister of attempting to mislead the people of Odisha with claims of development, while the new BJP government had done little in the past five months.

He cited the deaths of three tribal women from hunger, stating, "The BJP has put Odisha on the world map for the deaths of three tribal women due to hunger in 2024." Congress Legislature Party leader Rama Chandra Kadam demanded a special package for Odisha, similar to the ones given to Bihar and Andhra Pradesh by the NDA government.

"We will admit that Modi gives priority to Odisha if he announces a special package for the state," Kadam said.

State Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan lashed out at Congress, accusing the party of becoming "anti-India." He said, "If someone speaks anti-national words abroad, criticises the Prime Minister, and speaks against the country's development, it suits Congress."

Harichandan further claimed that Congress was "paralyzed" across the country and had lost its ability to function. "Now, Congress is trying to walk by holding the stick of small regional parties, but its nature does not change," he added.

In response to BJP's attacks, Congress' student and youth wing staged a protest on Saturday against Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Odisha. Marching toward the Lok Seva Bhawan, where the All India DGP/IGP Conference was taking place, the protesters raised slogans against the declining law and order and increasing unemployment rates in the state.

Yasir Nawaz, former Chhatra Congress president, said, "We demand an answer from the PM and Home Minister on the declining law and order situation in Odisha and the lack of action against the governor’s son, who is accused of physically assaulting a government servant. Efforts are being made to suppress our voices, but our strike will continue until PM Modi and Amit Shah assure us of when the law and order situation in the state will be under control."

In response, Harichandan called the Congress protest "unfortunate," adding, "This shows that Congress is going against the country, against development, and against the people. While Odisha is drawing attention from the entire country, they are staging demonstrations and making hateful statements against the Prime Minister and Home Minister."