Dharmendra Pradhan takes swipe at Odisha govt again with 'Shashikala Syndrome’ remark

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan came down heavily on the Odisha government over the unabated rise in incidents of protests and opposition during visits of people’s representatives in the State. The Union Minister on Monday took a swipe again by reiterating that 'Shashikala syndrome’ has crept in the ruling dispensation here (Odisha).

“In the past four months, there has been some deterioration in the overall situation. During the Jharsuguda bypoll, I had said that ‘Sashikala Syndrome’ has developed. Everybody should remain in ‘Lakshman Rekha’ of democracy. It seems that everything is being violated in Odisha,” said Pradhan.

Pradhan’s remarks came a day after there was an alleged ‘sponsored’ opposition to Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi in her constituency. He also condemned the attempts to oppose and disrupt the Bhubaneswar MP’s visits to her constituency.

“There cannot be less than a crime when those whosoever has got majority starts insulting and suppressing others in a democracy. The matter becomes grave when administrative officials become the conspirators,” alleged Pradhan.

Pradhan further said, “It is against the nature of Naveen Patnaik as I believe he never encourages undemocratic things and I expect the same as an Opposition party. I urge that there should be debates and criticisms at a political level as these things are not at all healthy for democracy; and the administrative officials should refrain from such undemocratic acts.”

MP Sarangi had earlier accused the Odisha government of using Mission Shakti members to attack her and questioned if Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik would stop being a 'Dhritarashtra' and carry out his Rajdharma.

Responding to the allegations, State Minister and BJD leader Ashok Panda said, “Saying that democracy is not prevalent here is not correct. How is it possible that the Central government is democratic and the one here in Odisha is undemocratic?”

Panda further said that in Odisha there is freedom of speech, freedom of movement and right to property.

“I have never realised that there is no democracy here. If the Union Minister thinks this way, only he can say about it,” Panda added.