Naveen Patnaik takes Chinas name in poll meeting
Amid the prevailing tensionin the Sino-India border, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaikon Thursday said at a public meeting for Balasore by-electionthat his father Biju Patnaik, who was also a CM of the state,was in favour of developing missiles which could scare China.
While addressing his second virtual rally for theNovember 3 assembly by-election, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD)president also spoke on the accolades received by hisgovernment by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and theUnited Nations (UN) in disaster management.
“While visiting Balasore, two persons came to my mind.
They are Biju Babu and Dr A P J Abdul Kalam. Biju Babu used totell Dr Kalam to make such a missile in Chandipur (in Balasoredistrict) which can scare China,” Patnaik said whileaddressing the voters.
Chandipur in Balasore district has an Integrated TestRange which is a well equipped Test and Evaluation centre ofthe Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO). It hasbeen set up to provide safe and reliable launch facilities forperformance evaluation of rockets, missiles and air-borneweapon system.
Dr Kalam, who later became the President of India, wasassociated with the DRDO between 1992 and 1999. In his thirdstint as chief minister, Biju Patnaik was at the helm inOdisha from 1990 to 1995.
“Whenever there is a missile test-fire from Balasoredistrict, two patriots – Biju Patnaik and Dr Kalam – come tomy mind,” Patnaik said.
He also said that India tested its land-to-landPrithivi missile for the first time in Chandipur in 1993 whenBiju Patnaik was the chief minister.
After Biju Patnaik died in 1997, a regional partyheaded by Naveen Patnaik is named after Biju Patnaik.
Patnaik said that during the past 21 years, Odisha hasturned out to be a model in disaster management across theglobe and won accolades from the UN and the WHO.
Patnaik also listed the developmental works that hisgovernment has taken up in Balasore.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)
