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Bhubaneswar: Senior Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi today accused the Naveen Patnaik-led Odisha government of shedding crocodile tears on issues concerning the interest of the people and hypocritically announcing a scheme for farmers after 18 years just ahead of the elections.
Addressing a presser at the party office in Bhubaneswar, Singhvi said that the ruling-BJD had been sleeping for 18 years and now, as elections are round the corner, it woke up all of a sudden and is coming out with schemes for farmers and has named it after Lord Jagannath.
"Naming the scheme Kalia, isn't an insult to the Lord? What made the government name the scheme like that? It seems, Odisha CM has been infected by PM Modi's jumla politics," Singhvi quipped, adding that those who sleep for years and wake up just a few months ahead of elections will get befitting reply from people.
On the issue of minimum support price (MSP) for paddy, he said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik is following PM Narendra Modi's footsteps and is just shedding crocodile tears.
"PM Modi humiliated Odisha on the issue of MSP as he did not even meet the members of the House Committee of the Odisha Assembly. Interestingly, the ruling-BJD rewarded the BJP by staging a walkout during the no-confidence motion," he added.
However, refuting the claims of Singhvi on Kalia scheme, senior BJD leader and Odisha Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy said that the scheme is a new hope for the farmers of the State.
“Nearly 92 per cent farmers in Odisha will benefit from the scheme. It is a historic decision taken by CM Naveen Patnaik,” said Maharathy.
"When we are on the verge of transforming into performer from aspirer according to the UN report, the BJP and Congress should clarify why they are condemning the work of Odisha government," BJD spokesperson Sasmit Patra said.
Countering Singhvi's allegations on Rafale, BJP Vice-president Samir Mohanty said, "Even after Supreme Court's nod why the Congress party is raking up the issue? Does repeating a lie multiple times makes it truth?"
