BJD govt disrespected Union minister: BJP

Bhubaneswar: The BJP Monday alleged that the state government had not maintained basic protocol during the visit of Union Minister of State for health Ashwini Kumar Choubey and had disrespected him.
Addressing a press conference here, state BJP leader Kanak Vardhan Singh Deo alleged the BJD government had indulged in cheap politics by disrespecting the Union Minister during his visit to the state for inauguration of the medical college and hospital in Balasore.
“Though the Union minister had confirmed his scheduled visit to state for the inauguration of the medical college in Balasore, the state government had not given ‘Y’ category security to him during the visit,” he alleged.
As the state government was unable to provide chopper for his visit, the Union minister had agreed to visit the town by road from Bhubaneswar. However, security arrangement was made up to Cuttack and Jajpur district’s border. After that, there was no security arrangement for Choubey, he claimed.
Though the Centre has allocated 60 per cent of funds for the medical colleges at Bolangir and Balsore, the state government had not mentioned the names of the Union Health minister and his deputy JP Nadda and Choubey respectively in its invitations for the events, he further alleged.
The photograph of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was also not there in the advertisements issued by the state government for the purpose, he pointed out.
Nadda was present at the inauguration of the medical college and hospital at Bolangir last week.
“At a time when the Centre is providing all necessary assistance, instead of being thankful Odisha government is not maintaining even the minimum courtesy,” said Singh Deo.
Refuting the allegations of BJP, state Health minister Pratap Jena said all protocol for the Union minister was maintained.
“His name was there in the invitation and specific time has been given for him in the agenda for speech. There was no deviation in the protocol for the Union minister,” he said.