Free speech not for state Congress leaders
While senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is fighting his case for “free speech” and “free expression” in the Supreme Court, here in the state two senior leaders of his party had to pay the price for their freedom of expression. Cuttack-Barabati MLA Mohammad Moquim and former MLA Chiranjib Biswal were suspended from the party for the latter’s statement that the Congress with nine MLAs has nearly 20 chief ministerial aspirants, at a public function organised by the former.
In its complaint to the AICC, the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee said that this controversial statement of Biswal damaged the party’s prospects in the Jharsuguda by-election where the chances of winning the seat was very high. Imagine the kind of damage the Moquim-Biswal duo did to Congress candidate Tarun Pandey who secured only 4,463 votes and forfeited their deposit.
Strangely, the party found nothing wrong when another senior legislator Tara Prasad Bahinipati told media persons that the party will start preparation for the next Assembly and Lok Sabha elections when internal fights get over. “We are now fighting within the party. Once it is over we will think for the next elections,” Bahinipati had quipped.
~ Bijoy Pradhan
Pattanayak should walk the talk, fight polls: Partymen
Leaders of political parties should lead from the front as only tall talk does not inspire confidence among the party’s rank and file. This has become true for the Congress for the last several elections where presidents of the Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) faced humiliating defeat at the hustings. Now pressure is mounting on OPCC president Sarat Pattanayak to either contest the Lok Sabha or Assembly election to set an example.
As he had given the slogan from ‘9 to 90’ (from nine Assembly seats to 90 in the 2024 election and form government in the state), he should identify a seat and contest the election. Pattanayak’s predecessors Prasad Harichandan, Jaydev Jena and Niranjan Patnaik had failed in this test as all of them were badly defeated in polls. Patnaik had even lost two seats. Partymen want Pattanayak to select a seat and take the electoral plunge, and are waiting for a response from him.
~ Bijay Chaki
Legendary goof up: Govt says Manoj Das is a poet
For the Odisha government, legendary writer and acclaimed novelist Padma Bhusan Manoj Das is a poet. An asset board installed by the roads, building and bridge (R&B) division of the Works department at Das’ native place citing him as a poet has left many fuming. The description on the board read: “Kabi Manoj Das ebang paribaranka basagrhuhara punarudhar o unnatikaran” (Renovation and development of the house of poet Manoj Das and his family).
The board that carries a photo of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his message urging people to take care of the asset was erected after the renovation work was completed at a cost of Rs 6.9 crore on July 15. The board put in place by the Works department officials has led to widespread resentment among the people.
Litterateurs and leaders cutting across party lines have demanded the board be replaced immediately with appropriate descriptions. Some suggested the board can carry a brief description of the renowned author with his photograph mentioning it as a memorial. Earlier, the Tourism department had put up signages by introducing three Shiva temples as Devi temples in Subarnapur district. The wayposts were later replaced, though.
~ Hemant Kumar Rout