Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha member from Bhubaneswar Aparajita Sarangi on Saturday alleged that people’s mandate to govern Odisha has been “hijacked by a bureaucrat”, who has made elected representative of Biju Janata Dal (BJD) helpless.
Addressing a press conference here, Ms. Sarangi, BJP’s national spokesperson, said, “We are witnessing a strange and incredible governance system in Odisha. People have started to question whether the government is run by the persons they had voted or by a secretary-level official who has cunningly hijacked the entire administration.”
“The BJD’s elected representatives have vanished from the scene. The MLAs and MPs of the ruling parties have become laughing stock for their timidity before the particular government officer,” said Ms. Sarangi.
“The job of people’s representatives is to formulate laws, implement those on ground and reach out to people with welfare programmes while government officers’ duty is to assist them. Both order of precedence and All India Services Conduct rules have been violated. Order of precedence defines the hierarchy while IAS officers are guided by All India Services Conduct rules. Surprisingly, the secretary rank officer has wrested control of the entire administration,” she said.
The BJP MP launched veiled attack on V.K. Pandian, Private Secretary to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who was recently seen touring different districts and announcing major projects.
“The secretary level was flying in helicopter, addressing public meeting, attending sponsored receptions and announcing new programmes of State government. The MLAs, MPs and Ministers of the constituencies, where public meetings are being organised for the officer, have made a retreat from public domain,” charged the BJP’s national spokesperson.
“The officer is justifying his tours saying he is on official visits on direction of the Odisha Chief Minister. Is it true that Mr. Patnaik who has been running government for past 23 years has given orders to a secretary level officer? Is the permission accorded to him official?” questioned Ms. Sarangi.
The BJP leader said the way the administration was being run, the Chief Minister had perhaps lost faith on educated MLAs, MPs and ministers.
“I feel pity for BJD MLAs, MPs and ministers who have become invisible in public discourse. They are forced to accept the slavery. This is a matter of self-respect,” she said.
Reacting to Ms. Sarangi’s barb, the BJD said, “The BJP leader is afraid of smooth grievance redressal system, timely implementation of projects, administration reaching the doorstep of people and development of religious places in the State. The had never happened earlier.”
“The Bhubaneswar MP had tried to block the development projects, including development of Shree Jagannath Temple, in the State. She should not hold the State government responsible to hide her own incompetency and ignorance,” the BJD spokesperson said.
