Odisha govt has slipped into coma: Opposition

Bhubaneswar: Amid ongoing agitation of teachers, clerks, lawyers and Fire Services personnel, streets of Odisha are teeming with protests allowing the Opposition parties train their guns alleging that the BJD-led government has slipped into coma.

Agitation by thousands of teachers, who have been braving rain and sun seeking fulfilment of their long-standing demands, has affected teaching in schools and colleges across the State.

Similarly, hundreds of officials of the heads of the departments are also staging pen-down protests since last 41 days thereby throwing the administrative mechanism out of gear in the state. Moreover, lawyers of the Orissa High Court have also been on cease-work strike since past 29 days protesting inaction in an incident of police assault on one of their colleagues. On the other hand, judicial works have come to a standstill at all the courts in western Odisha with lawyers agitating since last 21 days over their demand for a permanent High Court bench.

Recently, fire services personnel launched their agitation, which has badly hit emergency services.

Opposition parties alleged that the situation is in turmoil blaming Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his ruling-BJD for a breakdown in governance.

“I have never witnessed such an inefficient government which is unable to resolve the issues of various sections. Education system is suffering and there is no administrative control. Courts are closed and emergency services are badly hit. What do you call such a government?” Odisha Congress chief Niranjan Patnaik said.

"We had seen incompetent ministers ruling the state earlier and now the bureaucrats are also equally incapable. The Chief Minister is to be blamed for this situation. The CM should therefore seek pardon from people and voluntarily resign," Odisha BJP general secretary, Prithviraj Harichandan said.

Meanwhile, the ruling BJD has refuted the allegations.

“The government is optimistic and believe that the issues of the people will be solved one after the other,” said BJD spokesperson, Amar Satpathy.