Amit Shah slams Naveen, vows to end ‘Babu Shahi’ in Odisha and uphold Odia pride

Sambalpur: Union Home Minister Amit Shah today launched a scathing attack on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, accusing him of imposing bureaucratic rule, or ‘Babu Shahi’, in Odisha and undermining the sentiments and pride of its people.

Speaking at a public rally in Ainthapali, Sambalpur, Shah asserted that the BJP, if elected, would offer the state a dynamic and hardworking Odia ‘Bhumiputra’ as Chief Minister.

Shah criticized the BJD government for allegedly damaging Odisha’s culture and heritage. He accused Patnaik of imposing ‘Babu Shahi’, which he claimed was eroding the pride and dignity of the Odia people. He questioned the suitability of a ‘Tamil babu’ governing Odisha and called on the citizens to elect a BJP government for faster development and the preservation of their rich cultural heritage.

Promising to protect the Odia language, literature, and culture, Shah emphasized that a native Odia should lead the state, not an outsider. He also accused the BJD government of commercializing Puri, erasing historical mutts and shrines, and hindering the traditional Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath.

Shah highlighted the BJP-led NDA’s success in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, claiming they had already secured over 310 seats. He urged Odisha to contribute more BJP representatives to Parliament and support the formation of a BJP government in the state.

He lamented that despite Odisha’s wealth in resources, the state harbors some of the poorest communities due to the alleged exploitation under the BJD regime. Shah pledged that a BJP government would put an end to this resource mismanagement.

Criticizing the BJD’s neglect of western Odisha, Shah pointed out that 27 lakh families remain without houses, 26 lakh lack access to drinking water, and 6,400 villages are without proper road connectivity. He assured that the BJP would address these issues if given the chance to govern.