Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's second foreign trip during his 22 years as Chief Minister of Odisha has stirred controversy. Patnaik's meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican has heated up the political corridors back in the state. Patnaik, who is on an 11-day foreign tour, had met Pope Francis on June 22, with the state BJP questioning his intention of meeting the Pope.
Senior BJP leader and Sambalpur MLA Jayanarayan Mishra has raised questions over Patnaik meeting Pope Francis during his visit to Rome. Mishra said when the CM has never extended his interest in meeting the Shankaracharya in Puri, his meeting with the Pope thousands of kilometers away "reeks of ulterior motives which he will have to answer to the voters". "If he visited Italy on public money, what was the purpose of his visit and what did he achieve in return? What was the necessity to meet the Pope standing in a row?" asked Jayanarayan Mishra.
He further added that "We have never seen him meeting Shankaracharya." Reacting to the BJP leader's queries, BJD MLA and former Minister Shashi Bhusan Behera said: "What is wrong with meeting the Pope and getting support of the Christian population?" If a positive mindset will be created in the world towards Odisha, it is the right decision by the Chief Minister."
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Patnaik travelled to Dubai from Rome on June 26. Amid criticism over meeting Pope Francis at Vatican city, he has also visited Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi. The CM is scheduled to meet investors from the Middle East and adjoining regions in Dubai on Wednesday. Pattnaik is expected to invite potential investors to invest in Odisha and assure them of necessary assistance from the state government. The event is jointly organised by the Odisha government, the Indian Consulate in Dubai and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI).
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The marble dome of #SheikhZayedMosque, Abu Dhabi is an epitome of magnificence with intricate inlay work inspired by Moghul architecture. I am told, the artisans & the marbles also came from Makrana village of Rajasthan.
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) June 27, 2022 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="
A bit of India, everywhere. pic.twitter.com/qHWZpaFlgU
">The marble dome of #SheikhZayedMosque, Abu Dhabi is an epitome of magnificence with intricate inlay work inspired by Moghul architecture. I am told, the artisans & the marbles also came from Makrana village of Rajasthan.
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) June 27, 2022
A bit of India, everywhere. pic.twitter.com/qHWZpaFlgUThe marble dome of #SheikhZayedMosque, Abu Dhabi is an epitome of magnificence with intricate inlay work inspired by Moghul architecture. I am told, the artisans & the marbles also came from Makrana village of Rajasthan.
— Naveen Patnaik (@Naveen_Odisha) June 27, 2022
A bit of India, everywhere. pic.twitter.com/qHWZpaFlgU
Patnaik previously visited Rome on June 20 to attend an event of the World Food Program, where he had shared details of the transformative initiatives undertaken by his government in the field of food security and disaster management. The CM will return to Bhubaneswar on June 30 and attend the famous Rath Yatra at Puri on July 1. He will be present at State Assembly during the budget presentation the next day.
This is Patnaik's second official foreign tour in the last 22 years of his reign in Odisha. On his previous trip, the Chief Minister had been to London in May 2012. However, he had to rush back to Odisha because of an attempted coup in the BJD on May 29. Though the revolt was effectively crushed, Naveen had refrained from undertaking any foreign tour since.
