New Delhi: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Members of Parliament from Odisha jointly launched a sharp criticism against Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President and Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Legislative Assembly, Shri Naveen Patnaik.
Prominent BJP leaders and MPs, Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab, Smt.Sangeeta Singh Deo, Smt.Aneeta Priyadarshini, Smt.Malvika Devi, Shri Rudra Narayan Pani, Shri Pradeep Purohit, Shri Ananta Nayak, Shri Abhimanyu Sethi, Shri Rabi Narayan Behera, Shri Balabhadra Majhi, Shri Sukanta Panigrahi, and Shri Bibhu Prasad Tarai addressed the Media.
The BJP MPs condemned Shri Patnaik’s recent statements regarding the national examination system, terming them baseless, factless, and politically motivated.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, MP Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab stated that the BJD leadership should not underestimate the awareness of the people of Odisha. He pointed out that between 2015 and 2023, during the BJD Administration, Odisha witnessed repeated instances of paper leaks and irregularities across several competitive examinations, including the Police Constable, OPSC, OJSE, and Matriculation exams. Mahtab highlighted that the Odisha High Court had severely admonished the BJD government over these corruption scandals, yet no state minister resigned despite widespread public protests.
The BJP Lawmakers also accused the BJD of exhibiting political contradiction and double standards by backing protests associated with Congress and CJP. Shri Mahtab emphasized that while peaceful protest is a democratic right, attempting to break security barricades and forcibly enter Parliament constitutes anti-national behavior.
Addressing concerns around the NEET examination, Shri Mahtab noted that the Central Government and the Ministry of Education acted swiftly to implement corrective measures. He mentioned that question papers were transported safely via aircraft with military assistance, re-examinations were successfully conducted within a stipulated timeframe, and results were published promptly. He contrasted this with past UPA tenures where paper leaks went unaddressed, asserting that the current government remains sensitive to the future of students.
Comparing BJD’s political trajectory to the nationwide decline of Communist parties, the BJP MP claimed that BJD is rapidly losing its public mandate in Odisha. He urged opposition parties, particularly BJD members in the Rajya Sabha, to stop politicizing the future of students and instead cooperate in Parliamentary proceedings to engage in constructive dialogue aimed at reforming national examination systems.