LoP demands censure motion against Modi

Bhubaneswar: Even as the Annual Budget for the financial year 2017-18 was scheduled to be presented in the State Assembly today, the house saw commotion with Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra demanding censure motion against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his remarks on poverty in Odisha.

The discussions on the budget went well during the question hour but with the beginning of zero hour both the ruling BJD lawmakers and Opposition Congress legislators created uproar in the house with Speaker Niranjan Pujari adjourning house proceedings till 3 pm.

Senior Congress and Opposition leader Narasingha Mishra brought up issue of Modi’s remarks on poverty in Odisha alleging that they were targeted against the poor.

Taking a dig at the Prime Minister, Mishra said did Modiji come to know of Odisha’s poverty after three years. If so then how come the state has been neglected from special status tag.

If Odisha is poor why is that eight central projects were stopped and funds for 33 centrally sponsored projects were curtailed, he questioned.

Ruling BJD legislator and Minister Sanjay Das Burma also endorsed Mishra’s comments.

Meanwhile, BJP said the issue is being given undue importance by both Congress and BJD to gain political mileage and attempt to taint the prime minister’s image.

“The BJD, Congress leaders are misleading people, they want to tarnish the image of Modiji. But barring them, people of Odisha do not think that the prime minister has made any insult to the state,” said BJP leader Pradip Purohit to media persons.

Notably, during an election rally in Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi publicly claimed that if one has to search for the poorest districts in the country then one can find them in Odisha. If the people of the state have come forward to give support to BJP (party’s success during Panchayat Polls) then nothing will remain for other parties in forthcoming days.