Sambalpur (Odisha): Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik`s alleged inability to speak Odia came in for flak on Friday from his erstwhile aide and present Odisha Jana Morcha leader and Rajya Sabha member Pyarimohan Mohapatra.
"I apologise as I could not make Naveen speak Odia," Mohapatra, who was considered Patnaik`s friend, philosopher and guide till being expelled from BJD last year, told a public meeting here.
"In the state council meeting in 2010, I flayed Naveen openly for not fulfilling the expectation of the people of the state. A conspiracy was hatched against me after I criticised Naveen openly," he said.
The public meeting was part of Mohapatra`s Kranti Samavesh.
Referring to the state`s agriculture budget, Mohapatra said the government was trying to fool the farmers by providing them with free 20,000 mobile phones.
"Mobile phones cannot bring any development," he said adding the government should instead provide bonus to the farmers.
He alleged that the Rs 4000 crore provision for concretising roads in villages would only lead to corruption. "BJD will only embezzle the fund for the next election."
In a bid to woo the people of western Odisha, he promised to fight for establishment of high court bench in Sambalpur and take up the issue of inclusion of Sambalpuri language in the constitution.
PTI
