BHUBANESWAR: After creating a political storm by targeting his party government and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over alleged fudging of Covid-19 death figures in the State, BJD vice-president and MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik on Sunday opened another front by raking up the mining issue in Keonjhar district.
“Many people have become rich in the last 10 to 15 years from mining in Keonjhar district. But, the district has been neglected. Now time has come for them to pay back to the district,” Patnaik said. Patnaik, however, did not name those who have become rich by mining from the district. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Friday had announced that steps are being taken by the State government for all-round development of the district including establishment of a steel plant.
In a separate context, Patnaik, also the editor of a local daily ‘Sambad’, in his signed editorial ‘Ama Gharara Halchal’ said the time has come for new Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw to repay his debts to Odisha. Referring to his recent article suppressing of Covid-19 death figures in the State, the BJD leader said that differences of opinion should always be accepted.
Reiterating his stand, Patnaik said if differences are suppressed, democracy cannot survive. “We shouldn’t stick to the impression that only I am right and no one else. We are within our rights to look into all opinions from different angles before accepting one. If one does not give respect to others’ opinion, one loses the respect for his self too,” he added.
Patnaik had said due to administrative failure and negligence, a controversy had erupted over the Covid death figures which further affected the image of Odisha government. He had also demanded a white paper in this regard. On three members from Odisha getting places in the Union Council of Ministers, Patnaik said all the MPs are capable and have the experience to handle the responsibilities.
Congratulatory calls for Vaishnaw land in Soumya’s address
Bhubaneswar: Though Rajya Sabha member from Odisha Ashwini Vaishnaw was inducted into the Union Cabinet as Minister for Railways and IT, the congratulatory messages have strangely been going to BJD MLA Soumya Ranjan Patnaik. The MLA’s phone, in the last three days, has been flooded with calls and messages congratulating him for his induction in the Union Cabinet. Surprised and exhausted attending the calls, Patnaik inquired about the faux pax committed by well wishers.
And what did he find? Though Vaishnaw had replaced him as Rajya Sabha member, officials in charge of printing the government diary have not changed the address and phone number of the new Upper House member. They have only changed the name. The MLA wrote about this in his signed article ‘Ama Gharara Halchal’ in the newspaper edited by him. The BJD leader said that he is forwarding all the well wishes to Vaishnaw through the article. He also did not forget to mention how the government system is lazy and superfluous.