Opposition mounts attack on Odisha CM over 5T Secy’s visit; Pandian counters with CM’s audio message

The Opposition parties led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) continued to mount attacks on the Biju Janata Dal (BJD)-led Odisha government by slamming 5T Secretary VK Pandian’s whirlwind tours to different districts and announcement of packages.

The Opposition parties including the BJP and the Congress have also trained guns on Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik over such visits by the 5T Secretary.

BJP MP from Bargarh, Suresh Pujari on Monday said that "It appears that Odisha CM is in a kind of house arrest mentally. Secretary addressing events and MLAs and MPs supervising arrangements for his visit is not a healthy sign."

“I have seen the programmes of the President, Prime Minister, and Chief Ministers in various parts of the country. But I have never seen such mega events which are being organised for a secretary-level officer,” said Pujari.

According to the MP, the definition of democracy has changed. 

As an MP, I can say that the powers of the executive, judiciary, and legislative have been clearly mentioned in the Constitution. In a democratic set-up, the horse is always in front of the cart and here, the horse is the legislative and the executive is the cart, he said.

“The definition has changed in Odisha where we find the cart in front of the horse. It is not a healthy practice to mobilise 2,200 students to welcome the Secretary-level officer by risking their lives when a yellow warning for heavy rainfall was issued,” said Pujari.

According to Pujari, the place of a secretary-level officer comes third or fourth after the Chief Secretary, development commissioner, and the SRC. Under such circumstances, the visit by the secretary to districts and announcing projects without budgetary provisions are not at all healthy signs, Pujari added.

What is more surprising is the fact that the people’s elected representatives like Ministers and MLAs, who should have taken the lead in such programmes, are now in charge of managing the Secretary-rank officer’s visit, the Bargarh MP said.

“I have no idea whether Odisha Chief Minister, Naveen Patnaik is aware of such incidents. If the CM is aware and his personal secretary is leading such programmes and inaugurating projects with his consent, then it is very concerning. It is even more concerning and serious if it is happening without his notice,” Pujari said.

Addressing a presser, Congress Spokesperson Sudarshan Das today questioned the Odisha CM over the issue.

“During the secretary’s visit, political workers are being detained for 24 hours. Who is the CM in the state? Are there no efficient leaders in BJD? Do you have no trust in them?” questioned Das.

Senior BJP leader Bijoy Mohapatra also criticised the 5T secretary’s visit. He even said that the questions raised by BJD’s Soumya Ranjan Patnaik in his editorial are quite valid.

“Whatever has been written by Soumya Ranjan is nothing wrong as he has written the issues which are actually happening here,” said Mohapatra.

Earlier on June 24, Odisha Revenue Minister, Pramila Mallik had said, “The CM instructs and bureaucrats execute and the same thing is happening here. Nobody is being detained during the 5T Secretary’s visit.”

Later in the day, amidst the ongoing attacks by the Opposition, the 5T Secretary played an audio message from CM Naveen Patnaik during his Bargarh visit.

In an audio message to women SHG members of Bargarh district, the CM can be heard saying, “I have sent my Secretary Pandian babu to enquire about your wellbeing and address your problems. I will resolve your grievances.”

Responding to the development, Bargarh MP Suresh Pujari said, “Why audio, CM should have said this before the media. The post of PM and CM are constitutional posts and the duties & responsibilities cannot be delegated or transferred.”