Bhubaneswar: Senior Biju Janata Dal leader Kartik Pandian has said that due to the policies and self goals of the Bharatiya Janata Party, the mothers of Odisha are crying. Speaking to media persons, Kartik Pandian listed out the nine self goals of Bharatiya Janata Party that are detrimental to the interests of the people of Odisha.
Firstly, the BJP is politicising Lord Jagannath and the Jagannath Temple which is never acceptable to the people of Odisha and they are condemning this. The people of Odisha also do not like the derogatory and unparliamentarily language used by the BJP leaders particularly those coming from outside Odisha and the MPs against the beloved and most popular Chief Minister of Odisha.
Secondly, the BJP Manifesto clearly states that, if they come to power, they will close down Mission Shakti. They are always conspiring against Mission Shakti. They disrespect the Mission Shakti SHG mothers of Odisha. The Mission Shakti mothers are very sad and angry about the BJP’s attitude towards them. Seventy lakh women are standing against the BJP today.
The third self goal of the BJP is, in their Manifesto, they have stated to close Biju Swasthya Kalyana Yojana and introduce Ayushman Bharat Yojana. The people of Odisha know very well that the Ayushman Bharat Yojana is only for the BPL people. The Biju Swasthya Kalyana Yojana is for the people of entire Odisha. Nearly 90 lakh families are getting the benefits of Biju Swasthya Kalyana Yojana. Only 40 to 50 lakh families will be benefitted if Ayushman Bharat Scheme is introduced in Odisha, he said. Where will the 50 lakh families go? The people who are now getting the BSKY benefits are very terrified to hear that and they are ready to give lesson to the BJP.
Detailing the fourth self goal of the BJP, Kartik Pandian said our Chief Minister has done many things for the youth like 5T High School Transformation, 5T Higher Secondary School Transformation, 5T College Transformation, Nua-O Scholarships, Youth Budget etc. The Bharatiya Janata Party Manifesto clearly says that they will not give scholarships to the students. Our Chef Minister is giving scholarships to 98 percent college students. He has also announced to hike the scholarship from Rs 9000 for boys to Rs 12,000 and Rs 10,000 to Rs 14,000 for girl students. This is the BJP’s biggest self goal. The students of Odisha know that the BJP Manifesto has no vision for the youth. They are very angry about the BJP self goal.
The Chief Minister has constituted Special Development Councils to give a new identity to the tribal people of Odisha. To promote their language, art, culture and traditions, places of worship etc. There are no SDCs in any of the double engine governments. The BJP wants to close down the SDCs of Odisha if they come to power in Odisha.
Wherever there is a double-engine government, there is lack of peace. There is lack of communal harmony in those states. The people of Odisha know this very well. They still remember Kandhamal incident. They also remember the other places where such incidents have happened due to the political goals.
Under Naveen Babu’s government there is no Hafta and Dadabati and illegal collections; the people of Odisha know very well that the kind of leaders whom the Chief Minister had sent to jail for illegal collections have joined the BJP after coming back on bail. Those who had driven their vehicle on BJP workers, those indulging in chit fund scam have been included in the BJP. There is credible history that wherever there are double engine governments, Hafta and Dadabatti is collected from small shopkeepers, businessmen, roadside vendors etc. That is why they are very fearful about the BJP.
The seventh self goal is about the farmers of Odisha. The BJP ruled for ten years and announced to hike the MSP of paddy to Rs 3100 just 10 days before elections. The MSP is to be decided by the Central Government. They were in government for ten years. They never thought about this in the last ten years, but they are talking about this when the elections came. The farmers of Odisha will give a befitting reply to them.
The eighth self goal of the BJP is related to free electricity. When the BJD announced to give free electricity for 90 percent households, the BJP came up with its own scheme. In BJPs scheme, people have to spend Rs 50000 and put up a solar panel on their rooftops and the BJP says the electricity will be free. It is just showing lantern during the day time, said Kartik Pandian. The people of Odisha and India very well know how the BJP introduced free LPG cylinders and made steep hike in the price of gas. Likewise, the people have also understood the BJP’s free solar electricity promise.
The ninth self goal of the BJP is, they have promised to give Rs 50,000 to the mothers of Odisha. They will need Rs 1 lakh crore for giving this in Odisha. The size of our budget for development schemes is twenty to twenty five thousand crore rupees. From where will they give that One lakh crore, asked, Kartik Pandian. This is a Jumla and small version of the 2014 Jumla in which they announced to give Rs 15 lakhs to everyone. Looking at all these issues, it is very clear that the BJP is again and again coming with self goals. I have just listed the nine self goals, Pandian said. The people of Odisha very well know that the BJP has no standing and the Biju Janata Dal has already got the majority after the third phase polls in the state, he reiterated.