Bhubaneswar, 22 July (H.S.): Members of Parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Odisha on Wednesday strongly criticized recent remarks made by Naveen Patnaik, president of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Leader of Opposition in the Odisha Assembly, calling his statements “baseless, unfounded, and condemnable.”

Addressing a joint press conference in New Delhi, senior BJP MP Bhartruhari Mahtab said the party collectively denounces Patnaik’s comments.

Mahtab asserted that Patnaik should not assume that the people of Odisha have forgotten past events. He alleged that between 2015 and 2023, during the BJD government’s tenure, several instances of question paper leaks and irregularities were reported in examinations such as police constable recruitment , OPSC, OJEE, and matriculation exams. He further claimed that the Odisha High Court had made strong observations regarding the functioning of the then state government.

The BJP MP pointed out that despite widespread protests at the time, no minister from the previous government resigned. In this context, he termed the current demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan as unjustified.

Mahtab also accused the BJD of engaging in “double standards” by supporting protests allegedly backed by Congress and CJP. While acknowledging that dissent and expression are integral to democracy, he emphasized that violent activities or attempts to disrupt law and order cannot be justified. He added that Patnaik should have condemned such incidents instead of supporting them.

Responding to BJD leaders’ clarification that the party supported the movement and not any specific organization, Mahtab described it as an example of “dual policy,” reflecting political confusion within the party leadership.

On the controversy surrounding the NEET examination, he stated that the central government and the Ministry of Education acted promptly upon receiving information about the alleged paper leak. He claimed that, with coordination from states and relevant agencies, the re-examination was conducted successfully within the stipulated timeframe and results were declared on schedule.

Mahtab further noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi remains sensitive to students’ futures and that the BJP seeks constructive discussions on improving the national examination system, both inside and outside Parliament. He urged the BJD and other opposition parties to cooperate in ensuring the smooth functioning of parliamentary proceedings.

He also alleged that left parties have been losing their support base across the country and that the BJD is similarly witnessing a decline in public trust in Odisha. Stressing the importance of safeguarding students’ futures, he cautioned against politicizing such sensitive issues.

The joint press conference was attended by several BJP MPs, including Sangeeta Singh Deo, Anita Priyadarshini, Malvika Devi, Rudra Narayan Pani, Pradeep Purohit, Ananta Nayak, Abhimanyu Sethi, Ravi Narayan Behera, Balabhadra Majhi, Sukanta Panigrahi, and Bibhu Prasad Tarai, among others.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda