Bhubaneswar: Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on BJD supremo Naveen Patnaik at an election rally in Odisha, the latter reacted to the former’s jibe.

In response to Modi’s scathing attack, Naveen said, “What I remember or not is better known to the people of Odisha for the last 24 years. But, Honourable Prime Minister, how much do you remember Odisha? You forgot the Odia language even after it became a classical language. You have allotted Rs 1,000 Crore to Sanskrit but zero to Odia language. You forgot the Odissi music too. I had twice sent proposals for accordance of classical status to Odissi music and you rejected them every time.”

“There are so many brave sons in Odisha and a few of whom you spoke about today. Don’t any of them deserve Bharat Ratna? You have given away the Bharat Ratna to so many people; but, you again forgot the great son of Odisha, Biju Patnaik,” the Chief Minister expressed through a video message.

“You had promised to double the MSP for farmers of Odisha, which also you forgot. You should have kept the people of Odisha in mind and built the Coastal Highway, which also you have forgotten. Odisha’s natural resource is coal and you have been taking coal from Odisha. However, you forgot to enhance the royalty in the last 10 years,” the Chief Minister stated.

“Remembering Odisha only at the time of elections will be of no use. Do you remember the promises that you had made in 2014 and 2019?” the Chief Minister questioned.

“Not at all on June 10; BJP would not even be able to win the hearts of Odisha people in the coming 10 years. With the blessings of Lord Jagannath and the love of the people of Odisha, Biju Janata Dal will form government in Odisha for the sixth time. Vande Utkal Janani,” CM Patnaik concluded.

Notably, on the concluding day of his two-day tour to Odisha, Modi threw a challenge to Naveen while addressing a gathering in Phulbani town of Kandhamal district.

Modi challenged Patnaik to name all 30 districts of Odisha without seeing any paper.

“I challenge Naveen Babu to name all districts and their headquarters without seeing papers. The CM, who does not know the number of districts and cannot pronounce the names in Odia, how can he understand your problems?” Modi asked while appealing to people to give BJP a chance to serve the State once at least for the next five years.