Naveen Patnaik calls Rahul Gandhi’s allegations ‘bilkul bakwaas’

Addressing a rally in Bhubaneswar last week, Gandhi had said, “Chowkidaar toh chor hai (Chowkidaar is a thief)… There (in Delhi) you have the chowkidaar and here, the chit fund scam. Because of the chit fund scam by the Odisha CM and his ministers, Odisha’s remote control is with India’s corrupt chowkidaar.”

Gandhi further said, “Naveen Patnaik sits and stands when Modi presses a button. When a Bill has to be passed in Parliament, chowkidaar presses the button and Naveen has it passed. The entire country calls notebandi (demonetisation) a folly. Naveen Patnaik also thinks it is wrong. Then chowkidaar presses a button and Naveen calls it a good move.”

Patnaik also addressed the speculation surrounding his sister and New York-based author Geeta Mehta’s decision to decline the Padma Shri honour for distinguished contribution to literature and education. “My sister has the right to do whatever she desires”, Naveen Patnaik said.

BJP’s Odisha unit had called the refusal “disrespect to the nation”.

In a press statement from New York, Mehta had explained, “I am deeply honoured that the Government of India should think me worthy of a Padma Shri but with great regret I feel I must decline as there is a general election looming and the timing of the award might be misconstrued, causing embarrassment both to the Government and myself, which I would much regret”.