Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, addressing a meeting of booth-level BJP workers at Ranital in Bhadrak district on Sunday, lashed out at the State’s BJD Government.

He questioned why Odisha is lacking in development despite a stable Government in the State. Giving examples of BJP-ruled States, he said the GDPs of those States are higher than that of Odisha. Why such development can’t take place in Odisha, he asked.

Singh criticised the non-implementation of the Centre’s Ayushman Bharat scheme in Odisha and urged BJP workers to make the people of the State aware about the benefits of the scheme.

He alleged that farmers in the State are not getting proper prices of their produces, which are not procured at MSP. “I assure the Odisha farmers that if the BJP comes to power in the State, we will provide you 1.5 times of their input prices during procurement of crops,” he said.

He advised the party workers to spread the message among people regarding the BJP’s promise of ensuring fast development in Odisha and eradication of poverty and unemployment in the state if the party is voted to power in the upcoming polls.

Taking a potshot at AICC president Rahul Gandhi’s attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi with “Chowkidar Chor Hai” remarks, Singh said, “Chowkidar (Modi) is honest; he will surely become Prime Minister once again and he is the solution for all issues of the country.” Speaking on the Pulwama incident, the Home Minister said the sacrifice of martyred CRPF Jawans would not go in vain as the Army has been given complete freedom for strong retaliation against the perpetrators of the massacre.

He also paid tributes to the two martyred Odia CRPF Jawans Prasanna Sahoo and Manoj Behera. Singh and other party leaders and workers present at the meeting observed a one-minute silence to pay tributes to the departed souls. Earlier in the day, Singh visited Iram in the district and paid floral tributes to the martyred freedom fighters.

Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who was present, also slammed the State Government on different issues.