Pappu can dance now. This is what the Opposition parties in Orissa have started to believe after a decade of political humiliations and subjugation by the ruling BJD headed by chief minister Naveen Patnaik.
Fondly called Pappu by his relatives and admirers, the chief minister Mr Patnaik, who on Friday completed first year of his third term, found the year very hard and tough as his frequent dismissals of minerals theft by well-organised crime syndicates were brazenly exposed by arrest of over one hundred mines mafia, forcing him to order probe by the state vigilance.
Allegedly backed by influential leaders of the ruling dispensation, the mafia went on lifting huge volumes of iron ore and manganese from Joda-Barbill area in the mineral-rich Keonjhar district. Besides, a few cases of coal and chromite theft also exposed the nexus between the politically backed senior top officials and illegal mineral transporters. Never before, the CM had succumbed to criticism on mining scam and dismissed the Opposition’s demand to conduct probe into mineral thefts. Inspired by the nervousness set in the state administration after the mining scam expose and withdrawal of forces from Kalinga Nagar and Paradip, the Opposition parties think that Pappu can be made to dance now. The spate in the farmer suicide cases also seemingly made a dent into the much claimed “transparent” and “clean” image of the chief minister.
More than 60 cases of farmer suicide cases were reported starting from the developed coastal Orissa region to western parts of the state, indicating the government’s “improper” focus on agriculture sector.
Law and order situation, contrary to the claims made by the chief minister, has deteriorated with the Maoist holding to ransom the district administrations in southern Orissa. The state administration, as it appears, helplessly waits the recurrent bandh calls given by the ultras to pass by peacefully instead of taking measures to establish law and order in those areas.
After the death of a tribal in police firing at Kalinga Nagar early this month and the recent attack by security personnel on the anti-Posco activists at Paradip, Naveen was criticised by intellectuals, media and social forums, besides the Left parties. Realising that the situation was slipping out his hand, he immediately called back his forces from Kalinga Nagar and Posco site.