NEW DELHI: Odisha minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Krushna Chandra on Thursday hit back at former chief minister Naveen Patnaik over his recent ‘did penance for 12 years’ remark and said the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) did nothing for the state.
Responding to Patnaik’s statement targeting the BJP government over mango kernel deaths in Kandhamal district, Chandra said, “Naveen Patnaik said he did penance for 12 years but we (BJP) have spoiled everything. However, he didn’t do anything.”
“Had he done anything, he would have been able to speak Odia properly. Even after so many years, he cannot speak Odia properly, he cannot even speak English properly. He has done nothing for Odisha,” Odisha minister said.
Earlier in the day, BJD president Patnaik held the Odisha government accountable for the deaths of two women who died after consuming mango kernel gruel in Kandhamal district.
According to the former chief minister, insufficient food supplies at home compelled the tribal women to consume the gruel, whilst the BJP government maintained their stance that food poisoning caused the deaths.
“The state government has stopped the provision of rice for poor tribals. Therefore, they were forced to eat mango kernel gruel. Two people have died and others are undergoing treatment. This is very sad,” Patnaik stated whilst addressing party student wing members at the BJD headquarters.
He voiced his concerns about the current government’s decisions, stating they had undermined the BJD administration’s previous work in ensuring sufficient grain distribution. Patnaik, who served as Odisha’s chief minister from 2000 to 2024, highlighted that his government had implemented a state food security scheme for those not covered under the NFSA.
“Now, the current government has ruined all those efforts and, as a result, people are forced to eat mango kernel gruel because they’re not getting rice,” Patnaik stated.
Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare minister KC Patra dismissed these claims, countering, “As many as 16 people had died by eating mango kernel in Tikiri and Kashipur blocks of Rayagada district during the BJD government. Will Patnaik admit that these people died for not getting rice to eat?”
The minister confirmed that medical reports indicated food poisoning as the cause of death, not rice scarcity. He further stated that consuming mango kernel gruel was customary among tribal communities, adding, “The mango kernel does not impact their lives, but this time it was stale for 4/5 days and became poison.”
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