New Delhi: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has termed President Droupadi Murmu’s recent address to Parliament “detached from reality, and disconnected from the struggles of the people of India”.
Participating in a debate on the Motion of Thanks to the president’s address in Rajya Sabha, BJD Rajya Sabha MP Dr Sasmit Patra also claimed that the address failed to focus on the country’s most pressing issues. The BJD MP said that the address was clearly for the government, by the government and of the government, and not for the people of India. Stating that the BJD has been repeatedly demanding special status for Odisha for nearly two decades, Patra said that despite the honourable president’s own experiences with Odisha’s challenges, including the devastating cyclones that we face, the critical demand was not addressed or reflected in her speech. The address was also silent on some of the most crucial issues facing Odisha, the president’s home state.
The address also failed to mention the need for complete withdrawal of 18 per cent GST on tendu leaf, a livelihood source for 10 lakh tribal women in Odisha, Patra said.
