TV
Politics has intensified in Odisha over the recent communal clashes in Bhadrak over an alleged objectionable social media post. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come down heavily on the Leader of Opposition (LoP) and former CM Naveen Patnaik over his recent remarks on the incident.
Taking to its official X handle, the BJD alleged that four incidents of communal unrest during the initial three months of the new BJP government have raised questions on its efficiency apart from tarnishing the image of Odisha. Hitting back at LoP Naveen Patnaik, BJP stated that it appears that such statements of Naveen Patnaik were intended to boost the morale of BJD workers; but it is surprising that Naveen Patnaik has stooped so low.
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In its official X handle, the BJP posed several questions as far as the governance of BJD is concerned in the state under Naveen Patnaik in the last 24 years.
Questions by BJP to BJD
1. Naveen Patnaik himself was the Chief Minister of the state for 24 consecutive years. He should first answer who was the Chief Minister of Odisha during the Kandhamal riots?
2. Who was the Chief Minister of the state during the riots in Bhadrak during Ram Navami in 2017?
3. Which party was ruling the state during the stone pelting and riots that took place during Hanuman Jayanti in Sambalpur in 2021?
"...Naveen Babu, who had spread unrest in Odisha for 24 years, is now giving communal statements for his party’s interest," wrote the BJP in a tweet.
The BJP in its tweet further alleged that there are photographs of those arrested for the Bhadrak communal clashes with BJD MLAs. The accused are active and front line members of BJD.
'Real Face' of BJD
As Alleged by BJP in the Tweet - Naveen Babu himself has given Rajya Sabha ticket to the main conspirator of Kandhamal riots and made him MP.
- As per the data of the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Odisha was ranked third in the country in terms of communal violence in 2017.
- As per the NCRB data of 2022, there were more than 15 communal riots in Odisha in just one year.
"...Was this a symbol of Naveen Babu's good governance? Why was Naveen Babu silent when a former BJD MLA in Odisha gave protection to Raja Khan, the gangster and an accused of communal riot in Uttar Pradesh,” questioned BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal.
