Bolangir: Raking up the issue of a series of political violence and attacks on party activists, BJP National President Amit Shah on Thursday made a scathing attack on the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) accusing Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of 'shielding' such criminals.
Shah while addressing a public meeting in Bolangir alleged that nearly 14 BJP activists and leaders have been brutally killed in Odisha in the past.
"The ruling BJD is resorting to political violence and over 14 of our activists have been murdered in the last one and half years and their killers are moving scot-free as Naveen Patnaik is shielding them," said Shah.
Shah further claimed that BJP doesn’t believe in violence and once our party comes to power, we will see that the killers are put behind bars.
Breaking his silence on BJP's 'Mission 120' in Odisha, Shah stated that his party will come to power in 2019.
"I had not spoken about Mission 120 and Naveen babu planted news in media as to why was I silent. But I had not spoken about it because am sure we will win more seats here, much higher than the mandate we got in Tripura recently. My claims are based on the turnout of people here in Bolangir to be a part of Mahasamavesh."
On the other hand, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said Amit Shah is exaggerating it.
Shah further said, "While there is provision of 33 per cent irrigation in Odisha, it is only 11 percent for Western Odisha, why this injustice?"
In reply to it, BJD spokesperson Prasanna Acharya said, "If he is so concerned about Western Odisha, people of Western Odisha have been demanding inclusion of Koshali in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution, why is the party of Amit Shah and BJP-led government in Centre silent on the issue till date?"
Earlier in the day, on his way from Bhawanipatna to Bolangir, Shah halted at fluoride-affected village Beniabandh in Saintala. He reviewed the tube wells in the area and while targeting Odisha government over the drinking water issue assured to construct a check dam across nearby river to resolve the same.
Following it, Shah along with Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan and Jual Oram visited the house of Maheswar Suna at Harijan Pada in Deogaon and had their lunch. They were also accompanied by various party leaders and activists.