Daughter of Odisha commands all three wings of military, PM Modi in Balangir

Balangir (Odisha): Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted that the daughter of Odisha commands all three wings of the military, adding that they are the pride of the nation and shaping the direction of the nation.

"Today, the daughter of Odisha commands all three wings of the military. The daughter of Odisha is the pride of the nation and shaping the direction of the nation. Today, a daughter of Odisha holds the highest position in the nation. It's all happening due to the strength of your vote, Modi is just a medium," the Prime Minister said while addressing a public meeting in Odisha's Balangir on Saturday.

He asserted that under the BJP government, a tribal daughter became the President of the country for the first time.

"It was our government that approved the Paika Sangram Memorial, symbolising Odia's bravery. We also issued a coin and a postage stamp in honour of Paika Sangram. Under the BJP government, a tribal daughter became the President of the country for the first time," he said.

PM Modi said that the BJD never did anything for the state and never questioned Congress.

"After witnessing all the love I am receiving in Odisha, I can say that the countdown for the farewell of the BJD government has begun. Odisha has existed for a long time, but the Congress has always shown pictures of poverty (of the state). BJD never did anything for that and never questioned Congress," he said.

Expressing his concern for the farmers, the PM expressed his disregard towards the current faltering state of Odisha, "The BJD government has betrayed our farmers on a massive scale. Here in Odisha, paddy farmers are denied their MSP, and market scams are rampant. A significant portion of the farmers' earnings is spent on harvesting and threshing. The MSP for paddy is fixed at around Rs 2200, but our farmers are deprived of this rightful compensation. The Odisha BJP has pledged to ensure that paddy farmers receive an MSP of Rs 3100, with the money reaching their accounts within 48 hours."

Highlighting the BJP government's efforts, the Prime Minister said that the BJP government is already running a nutrition campaign for mothers and sisters.

"Thanks to the efforts of the BJP government, in the last 10 years, 10 crore sisters have joined self-help groups. PM Modi has pledged to make 3 crore sisters from these groups "Lakhpati Didis." Odisha BJP has announced the Subhadra scheme for the sisters in the state, which will provide significant support to them. This guarantee will be fulfilled with the blessings of Mahaprabhu Jagannath. The Modi government is already running a nutrition campaign for mothers and sisters. During pregnancy, Rs 6,000 is sent from Delhi to the bank accounts of every sister. However, sisters from Odisha are unable to receive this money because the Odisha government has banned this scheme," he said.

Prime Minister Modi also spoke of the 'wheel of Konark' in Odisha occupying a pride of place during the G20 event in Delhi.

"During the G20 event in Delhi, I took Odisha's pride to Bharat Mandapam. The global leaders stood in front of the Wheel of Konark Sun Temple and got their pictures clicked... Today, many leaders have a picture of the Konark Wheel in their homes. To honour the Paika Rebellion, the BJP government released a postal coin," he said.

He asserted that the countdown to bid adieu to BJD has begun in Odisha.

"The 4th of June is the expiry date of the BJD government! I have come here to invite you all to Bhubaneswar on June 10. It's because, on June 10, a BJP CM will take oath. We will give you a CM who was born in Odisha, and who knows and values the tradition of this land. The entire Odisha is saying in unison, 'Double-engine government for Odisha," he said.

PM Modi emphasized the importance of a double-engine government in Odisha, urging every voter to support BJP's allies in both Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

The state of Odisha will hold Assembly elections and Lok Sabha elections in four phases from May 13 to June 1, with vote counting scheduled for June 4.

In the 2019 Assembly election, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) won 112 out of 146 seats, while Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) won 23 seats and Congress won 9.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) won the majority of seats in the state, while the BJP and the Congress brought up the rear. The BJD won 12 seats, the BJP finished a close second at 8, and the Congress bagged just a lone seat.