Samablpur, May 12: The Chief Minister has been a caged parrot. He speaks out what is trained to him. He is talking DAMK language. He is talking anti-Bharat Asmita. How will he understand Odia Asmita? Naturally, questions on such issues will hurt him.

Union Minister alleged this at a Press Meet here today.

To the Chief Minister's question about how much the Prime Minister has remembered Odisha, Pradhan first wanted to know if the Chief Minister knows the answer to the basic question asked by the PM yesterday. The Chief Minister is not aware of many things, said Pradhan. He is reading out what is being given to him in writing.

"The Chief Minister has not morality. He only feels jealous. He has been confined to a cage. A four-member non-Odia gang is working for the Chief Minister. He is not doing any justice to Odia people. Odia people will not accept the outsourced leaders brought by the Chief Minister. The BJD will be remembered as an autocratic party for years to come," said Pradhan.

Pradhan said the Odisha government failed to provide a piece of land for the establishment of the Central Institute of Indian Language in five years. Finally, in 2019, the State government provided a house for the purpose.

The Narendra Modi government has provided Rs 30 crore for the establishment of the development of the Eastern Language Centre. The UGC has published engineering books in Odia. The Odisha Research Centre has been established for promotion of Odia language and cutlure, he said.

To the CM's question on Odisha Music, Pradhan said there is no provision at the Union Government level to accord classical status to music. "Thus, the CM's allegation of his letter not accepted is meaningless," said Pradhan.

In 2015, PM provided Rs 50 crore for the Navakalebar of Lord Shreemandir. As many as 49 persons have been awarded Padma awards. PM welcomed world leaders at a Konark Chakra during the G20 Summit. "It is disappointing that the Chief Minister scolds the Prime Minister instead of thanking him." lamented Pradhan.

Pradhan wanted to know who lost Ratnabhandar keys and who conspired to stop Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath during the Covid pandemic. Permission was given for holding Rath Yatra after the intervention of the Prime Minister.

"The coastal highway work has been stopped for the self-interest of the Biju Janata Dal and its local leaders. The Chief Minister stopped the project in the name of Chilika Beauty even after 10,000 crore was budgeted. Some influential disputed it, he said.

Regarding Paddy MSP raised by the CM, Pradhan said the MSP has increased from Rs 1360 in 2014-15 to Rs 2183 in 2023-24. But the Chief Minister forgot to give bonus of Rs 100 per quintal of paddy as promised by him at Sohela in 2013.

During the Congress government, Odisha got annual mining revenue of Rs 4,925 crore, which has increased to Rs 50,000 crore in the last 10 years during the Modi government. Odisha has received a DMF of Rs 25,426 crore during the Modi government.

For Prime Minister Modi, several states, including Gujarat, have become number-one in many fields globally. But Odisha is number-one in unemployment and women's oppression. One-third of the people from the state are going to work outside the states like Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka every year, Pradhan said.

"Before questioning about the employment, the Chief Minister should publish a white paper revealing how many people are going to work outside from Hinjili and Kantbanji and what has he done for the employment of the young women there," the Union Minister asked.

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