Throw out BJD govt, no one will have to migrate from state: Amit Shah in Odisha
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After failed talks for an allaince with the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched a scathing attack on the Naveen Patnaik dispensation as he kickstarted the BJP's campaign from Sonepur in the party's stronghold of western Odisha for the Lok Sabha polls. Seeking a first full-majority BJP government in the eastern state, Shah drew the party's battle lines by invoking issues like Odia pride, corruption and misgovernance. "The incumbent government in Odisha has not only deprived the state of development but has also committed 'bhayankar bhrastachar' (massive corruption) through officers," said Shah. He also corroborated the agenda of the BJP's state unit to fight for Odia Asmita (Odia pride) and targeted the BJD dispensation for neglecting Odia language, culture and literature. "The one who cannot glorify the language, culture and literature of the state, can never take the state forward," Shah said. For the first time, Odia pride has become a major election issue for the opposition to take on the BJD, in power in the state since March 2000. The issue became more prominent after the growing influence of former IAS officer and Patnaik's close aide V K Pandian. Accusing the BJD government of trying to divert the issue of the Ram Temple consecration ceremony, Shah, for the first time, criticised the Patnaik government for its works in Puri, the land of Lord Jagannath and one among the four dhams according to Hindu beliefs. "The government has tried to tarnish the glory of Mahaprabhu's land of Puri in the name of tourism. I want to assure you that if BJP government is formed, we will develop Puri in line with the Kashi corridor project," he added. While the Odisha government has taken up projects worth Rs 4,000 crore in Puri, including the ambitious Jagannath Temple corridor project around the 12th century shrine, the state BJP leaders criticised it for taking up new projects by demolishing century-old mutts. Pitching for a double engine government (having the same government at the Centre and state) in Odisha, Shah said states with with these kinds of governments have progressed rapidly and are at the top position in the country. He said Odisha is yet to see prosperity despite having huge mineral and water resources. Given that 'distress migration' is a major issue in the western region of the state, Shah said lakhs of youths from Odisha were migrating to big cities in search of work. "Throw out Naveen Babu's government and bring BJP government in Odisha. I want to assure that no one will have to migrate from Odisha. Industries from outside will come to Odisha. The BJP will make sure of it," he said. Shah tried to puncture the BJD's rural vote bank by claiming that the Centre has been providing free rice and accused the state government of hijacking the central scheme. The cheap rice scheme (Rs 2 per kg of rice) launched by the Patnaik government in 2008 has become a major factor for the BJD's success. "PM ensured welfare of the people of the country by providing free rice to 80 crore poor people in the country. But the Naveen Patnaik government is saying that they are providing rice… this is false… the rice is being sent by Modiji," said Shah. The Union Home Minister said the state government did not implement the Centre's Ayushman Bharat scheme out of fear that Modi will become popular in the state. He also accused Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of using his own photo to stake claim to rural housing schemes even though the Centre sent money for it. Calling the 20 years of BJD's rule as the "lost years" according to those who analyse the development indicators of states across the country, Shah said states with a double engine government were making progress at a massive speed. "You have given 25 years to BJD… give five years to BJP. We will ensure development of the state. Modiji's aim of Viksit Bharat can be realised when Odisha will also prosper," he said. The Union Home Minister targeted the Congress for lingering issues like Ram Janmabhoomi and the abrogation of Article 370. He hailed the Modi government for ending terrorism and Naxalism in the country. The BJP's decision to select Sonepur under the Balangir parliamentary constituency to launch its party's campaign also assumes significance. In the previous polls, the BJP won all five Lok Sabha seats in the western region of the state where the party is "relatively strong" compared to coastal and other regions. Sonepur also shares a border with Sambalpur parliamentary constituency, where Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan is a BJP candidate. After addressing the rally, Shah flew to Bhubaneswar where he met the party's grassroots workers and held a closed door meeting with senior leaders to discuss the BJP's strategy for the ensuing polls. Odisha will go to polls in four phases from May 13.