Mango kernel death incident: Was Odisha Food Supplies dept secretary made scapegoat?

In a minor reshuffle among senior IAS officers, Odisha government on Saturday removed Vir Vikram Yadav as the Secretary of Food Supplies & Consumer Welfare Department and Sanjay Singh has replaced him.

In response, Opposition BJD targeted the ruling BJP by alleging that Yadav was made the scapegoat as the government is trying to escape from the issue pertaining to the recent death of two people for allegedly consuming mango kernel at Mandipanka village under Daringbadi block in Kandhamal district.

Discussions are also doing round that the development is the reflection in response to Opposition BJD’s aggressive attack on BJP over the sensitive issue.

BJD has also alleged that the Secretary was transferred to shield Food Suppliers Minister Krushna Chandra Patra. Moreover, the Opposition party has reiterated its demand for the resignation of Patra.

“Why Vir Vikram Yadav was transferred abruptly? Why this change? The Potato Mission has failed. rations are not reaching people and as a result people are dying by consuming mango cornel. Food Suppliers Minister should either tender his resignation or he should be expelled. The Secretary of the department was transferred in a very clever manner. That is not the way it should be done,” said BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty.

In response, Minister Patra said that secretaries were holding their posts for a long time. However, the BJP government is working with efficient officers.

“It’s the right of the government to work in such a way so that they will be able to give justice to the people. The government will not shuffle the IAS officers by asking them (BJD). All the missions failed during BJD’s tenure and they were not answerable. Wait till the RDC report comes,” said Minister Patra.

Apart from Yadav, Hemant Sharma has been removed as the Secretary of the Energy Department and Vishal Dev has replaced him.

In response, former Chief Secretary Bijay Patnaik said, “The government can change the secretaries of different departments. However, frequent changes will affect the stability of the department.”