Odisha Congress needs a ‘ranks Jodo’ yatra
‘Bharat Jodo’, ‘Haat Se Haat Jodo’, the Congress is embarking on so many yatras, but the journey of the party does not seem smooth in the state. Indiscipline in the state unit has bogged down the party so much that there is no possibility of any paving the path by these marches. Situation has deteriorated to such an extent that leaders do not bother about show cause notices served on them by the leadership. One instance was when party MLA Suresh Kumar Routray repeated whatever he had said against the leadership recently. “Whatever I had said was the truth, and I don’t want to withdraw it,” he said. Another MLA Mohhammed Moquim said the party is yet to respond to his reply of the first show cause and has sent a second. Both these leaders have firm base in their constituencies, but the party leadership is after them. The state leadership maintains that Congress is a disciplined party and individual leaders do not count. “What kind of policy is this,” a leader asked and maintained that if such things continue, the party is likely to draw a blank in the next election. ~ Bijay Chaki
Minister, who? Bureaucrats rule, stupid!
Bureaucrats government breaking official protocol with impunity while dealing with elected representatives and political leadership has become the new normal in this government. During a recent visit to Nuapada, Western Odisha Development Council chairman Ashit Tripathy was seen presiding over a review meeting in the conference hall of the district collector in the presence of Minister for Planning and Convergence Rajendra Dholkia. Incidentally, Planning and Convergence department is the administrative department of WODC and the minister is representing Nuapada constituency in the Assembly. Protocol (warrant of precedent) demands that the minister should chair the meeting as the position of WODC chairman is several notches below the rank of a cabinet minister. It is not that the former chief secretary Tripathy, who is also the principal advisor to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, is unaware about the protocol. But, such is the custom these days. Earlier, opposition political parties had taken serious exception at chief secretary Suresh Mahapatra and DGP Sunil Bansal for leading officers of IAS and IPS service associations in congratulating the chief minister at his residence after the BJD’s victory in the local and urban body polls dubbing their action as violation the Odisha service conduct rules. Odisha, it seems has set yet another model of governance with complete politicisation of bureaucracy.~Bijoy Pradhan
Lawyers, anyone?
This police officer is looking for an advocate. Why? He wants to sue a media house for running stories which the officer considers libelous. The last story was about some people being treated to certain police methods over a missing valuable item. It was during a party at the officer’s residence that the incident took place. Coming to the party part, the senior cop is known for a lavish lifestyle. Not just lavish, ostentatious too. This had attracted attention of the media house which ran stories and been following it up regularly. This rubbed the officer the wrong way. With the media house not relenting, our officer has decided to take it on by a suit. Lawyers, anyone? - Hemant Kumar Rout