“The party which ruled India for decades had neglected the tribal community and used them merely for political benefits,” he said in an allusion to the Congress.

He alleged that tribal-dominated regions were “intentionally left backward” during the previous regimes.

“Over 125 tribal-dominated districts in the country were affected by Maoists for years. These areas were given a bad name like ‘red corridor’. Most of these districts were declared backward, and the then governments did not take the responsibility to develop them,” Modi said.

He also alleged that there was a lack of good governance in India during the Congress rule in the country.

Modi praised the efforts of the current Odisha government in its first year.

“Today is a very special day. The first BJP government in Odisha has successfully completed one year. This anniversary is not just of the government, it is the anniversary of the establishment of good governance,” he said.

The prime minister added that the completion of one year of the BJP dispensation was dedicated to “public service and public trust”.

He emphasised that the BJP government in Odisha has focused entirely on serving the people and building their confidence.

“The government has completed one year with good governance and public services,” he said.

Claiming that Odisha had witnessed “corruption, no infrastructure development, while many regions remained backward under previous regimes”, Modi said that the BJP dispensation has made efforts to address these challenges in the state. PTI AAM BBM MNB AAM BDC