BJP celebrates Pradhan’s Odisha visit; Oppn calls it a bid to cover up failures

Bhubaneswar, July 28 (IANS) The grand reception accorded to senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan by his supporters upon his arrival in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday, following his resignation as the Union Education Minister, has ruffled feathers within opposition parties in Odisha.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of supporters carrying placards and raising slogans in praise of the former Union minister gathered at the Bhubaneswar airport to welcome Pradhan. They were also joined by several ministers of the state government, MLAs and senior BJP leaders.

“As a son of Odisha, we, the 4.5 crore people of the state, are proud of Dharmendra Pradhan. He has proved himself through his organisational skills and leadership in both the party organisation and the government. He will always remain an inspiration to future generations,” said former Odisha BJP president Samir Mohanty.

However, opposition parties Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress strongly objected to the grand welcome accorded to Pradhan.

Strongly criticising the welcome, the BJD alleged that Pradhan was compelled to resign following nationwide protests over the NEET question paper leak and claimed that the event was an attempt to cover up his alleged failures.

Addressing media persons, BJD Spokesperson Dr Lenin Mohanty stated that the NEET examination question paper had been leaked three times in the last five years, while hundreds of other examination papers had also been leaked.

He alleged that since the BJP assumed office in Odisha, as many as 22 examination papers had reportedly been leaked, adding that this year’s alleged NEET question paper leak had sparked widespread outrage among candidates and their parents.

Mohanty said 21 candidates, devastated after the question paper leak, allegedly died by suicide. This triggered widespread resentment among students across the country, leading to a protest at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

“After the agitation continued for nearly one month and gained increasing nationwide support from students, Dharmendra Pradhan was compelled to resign. This exposed the failure of both Shri Dharmendra Pradhan and the BJP-led Central Government. However, to safeguard his public image, he is now organising such sponsored welcome programmes,” stated Mohanty.

Senior Congress leader Rama Chandra Kadam also said that if the former Union Education Minister had tendered his resignation on moral grounds over the examination paper leaks, why was he being accorded such a grand welcome in Odisha?

–IANS

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