Phulbani (Odisha), Dec 28 (PTI) BJP president J P Nadda on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the Naveen Patnaik-led BJD government in Odisha, accusing it of denying people a key central health scheme and not focusing on the safety of women.

Addressing a publc meeting at Tumudibandh in Kandhamal district, Nadda called upon the people to ensure that a BJP government is formed in the state in 2024, when assembly polls are due in Odisha.

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“While people across the country get the benefit of Rs 5-lakh health service through the Ayushman Bharat Yojana, citizens of Odisha are denied the privilege… What kind of government is this and who is running it?” he said.

The senior BJP leader also took exception to a recent remark of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik that Odisha was not in the focus of national parties, and asserted that a series of developmental activities have been carried out by the central government in the state.

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Citing the instances of the Centre setting up the IIM-Sambalpur, IISER-Berhampur and a skill development centre in Bhubaneswar, Nadda said Patnaik had promised an Odia university five years ago.

“Naveen Babu, where is the university,” he said.

The BJP chief said as per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, crimes against women in Odisha have almost doubled, and it is “shameful that human trafficking has assumed alarming proportions” as well.

“Women are not safe in Odisha, and the state records maximum atrocities against tribals and dalits, too. These apart, criminal attacks on police are also the highest in Odisha,” he alleged.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)