Bhubaneswar, Nov 07: BJD president and former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday targted the state government for the deaths of two tribal women, who lost their lives after consuming mango kernel gruel in Kandhamal district recently.
Addressing members of party’s students wing at the BJD headquarters here, Patnaik said the women were forced to eat the gruel allegedly due to lack of adequate food at their homes.
He blamed the BJP government for halting the provision of rice to poor tribal families in the state.
"The state government has stopped the provision of rice for poor tribals. Therefore, they were forced to eat mango kernel gruel,” Patnaik said.
On the other hand, the BJP government has countered Naveen Patnaik’s statement.
Stating that the deaths are not due to shortage of rice, Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Minister Krushna Chandra Patra said Patnaik is trying to take political mileage out of the situation.
