BJD, BJP at loggerheads over Odisha CM’s posters at vaccination centres

Bhubaneswar: Amidst the challenging times arising out of COVID-19, Odisha’s ruling BJD and Opposition BJP are at loggerheads over Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s posters at vaccination centres.

Furious over the issue, BJP workers in presence of Union Minister Pratap Sarangi today barged into Gandhi Smruti Bhawan vaccination centre in Balasore and went on ransacking and ejecting posters and banners carrying photos of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

On June 21, some workers of the saffron party went to vaccination centres at different places in Rayagada, Balasore and Angul districts opposing missing of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s picture on the banners and posters.

Reacting over the issue, Bhubaneswar MP and BJP leader Aparajita Sarangi, whose office was sealed last year for flouting COVID-19 norms, took to Twitter and wrote, “Odisha failed to procure vaccines; it sought Central Govt’s support. Our PM Narendra Modi has come to the rescue of Odisha CM. Basic courtesy demands that PM Modi’s photos with CM’s photo are put up at all Vaccination points by State Govt. Height of insecurity & narrow mindedness!”

Replying to her tweet, BJD MP Sasmit Patra said, “PM’s photo is there on every COVID vaccination certificate. While every party made an issue out of it, BJD never made it an issue or politics over it. You are an ex-bureaucrat. Vaccination in India has always been a national programme done by Central Government whether its polio, BCG, measles, DPT, Hepatitis, Vitamin A. When did it become a State program, except now that it was forced upon the States and subsequently withdrawn”.

“CM’s message has been put out across state calling for using Masks, COVID appropriate behavior it is nothing about vaccination. It is petty and shameful to do politics out of this. I am afraid you may be insecure about your political relevance and doing this narrow minded politics. However thanks for wearing masks off late,” he added.

Commenting on the issue, a person who came to the vaccination centre to receive his jab said, while taxpayers’ money goes in the process of vaccination, politicians are busy scoring some brownie points.

Another bystander said the state Government should add Modi’s photo on the posters and end this mess.

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