Rourkela: Union tribal affairs minister Jual Oram never misbehaved with Muktikanta Biswal, a youth of this city who walked for 70 days to reach the national capital to remind the Prime Minister of his promise, said Dhiren Senapati, BJP’s state unit secretary, here Friday.
Moreover, he was served food and asked to wait till the arrival of the minister. The minister also inquired about his health and offered him launch, Senapati added.
However, many in the Steel City did not buy the clarification, a report here said. Questions are raised as to why Oram didn’t come out with the explanation on the day the allegation surfaced in social media.
The party has made the move three days after the incident as a damage control measure, it was alleged.
Locals were of the opinion that the minister must be aware of Muktikanta’s Padyatra of last 70 days since he belongs to his constituency and the former should have helped him get an appointment from Prime Minister’s Office for a meeting. Instead, he allegedly made a mockery of Muktikanta’s attempt that went viral in social media.
On the other hand, the work on the 2nd Brahmani bridge had begun May 23 while Union steel minister Choudhury Birendra Singh laid the foundation stone for the modernization of the Ispat General Hospital June 11. In light of this, Muktikana shouldn’t be in a hurry and it was not possible to seek time from the PMO, he said quoting the tribal affairs minister.
Apart from Senapati, Panposh unit president Jagabandhu and others present at the meet dubbed Muktikanta’s allegations untrue.
Meanwhile, the step taken by Muktikanta, a youth of Khariabahal slum here, has robbed political leaders of their sleep. They were surprised by the overwhelming public support for Muktikanta.
Expressing dissatisfaction over the slow pace of the bridge project, local BJP MLA Dilip Ray met Muktikanta’s family and announced to launch a Padayatra along with Muktikanta from IGH to Brahmani bridge after his return from New Delhi.
After Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s criticism of the PM over the issue, the party has made it a major issue and is learnt to have collected Rs 20,000 lakh by way of crowd funding for the modernization of the hospital.
When promise made by the PM is not kept what to say about the other leaders, said district Congress president Rabi Ray.
PNN
