Tragedy in Odisha, Comedy in Assembly!

BHUBANESWAR: Predictably, the Odisha Assembly has come to a premature end with eight work days still remaining. The opposition Congress and BJP members did not attend the proceedings protesting against speaker’s decision to suspend Congress legislator Naba Kishore Das for a week for allegedly watching porn video clips in the assembly in session. And, the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) legislators passed a motion to adjourn the House sine die citing the assembly has no more business to deal with.

One would wonder while a state like Odisha is still fighting over numerous issues including electricity, water, natural calamities, forget poverty, even 69 years after Independence, our lawmakers, whom we elect with a hope to deliberate and resolve our issues, have no business to discuss in the Odisha assembly.

There were ample businesses to be transacted in the House. On December 17, the opposition’s motion on ration card was to be discussed. But prior to that, the assembly was adjourned sine die.

Everyone was expecting that 147 esteemed people’s representatives from all corners of state would deliberate on key issues of the state like drought, farmer suicides, law and order, poor delivery of health and education facilities.

They were eagerly waiting for the outcome of these discussions, what way the discussions will benefit them in making solutions to their problems like lack of irrigation, failure in the supply of seeds, fertilisers, irregularities in mandis, lack of doctors, teachers, increased incidences of dacoity, rape, crime, etc.

But our representatives adjourned the house citing no business.

While Odisha is gradually turning into a breeding ground for terrorists, the law makers have no business to discuss. The arrest of Al Qaeda terrorist Abdul Rehman from Cuttack and Ramchandran Subhas, main accused in the Puri train fire incident who has links with Pakistan terrorist group, has posed a threat to the security of the state. But, the lawmakers have no business to discuss in the assembly.

Major districts of interior Odisha are already under Maoist grip for last several years, and now coastal districts of Odisha, mainly Bhubaneswar, Cuttack and Puri have become a convenient place for the operation of international terrorists. But, the public representatives have nothing to deliberate in Odisha assembly.

More than 150 farmers have committed suicide in the Kharif season due to crop loss and loan burden, but the public representatives are less concerned.

While the contribution of agriculture to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) is falling gradually over the years and around 722,000 hectares of land has remained uncultivated in the state in 2014-15, the state government is gloating overachieving record production.

The contribution of this sector to the GSDP has also decreased to 12.33 percent in 2014-15 fiscal while agriculture contributes 15.77 percent towards national GDP. The agriculture sector had contributed 21.67 percent in fiscal 1999-2000.

Naveen Patnaik-led BJD, which has been enjoying power since last 15 years in the state, courtesy the inefficiency of opposition, has taken the people of Odisha for granted. It thinks that it can do whatever to the state be it handing over our natural resources at throwaway prices to industrialists and extracting money from gullible people in the guise of chit fund companies.

Ironically, neither the opposition parties nor the civil societies have successfully taken these issues to the logical end and failed to gain the confidence of people. And, the ‘Swabhimani’ Odia is still happy with the sops doled out by Naveen Patnaik government.

They are jostling not to elevate to earn an esteemed life but to be included among the poor so that they can avail the freebies given by the government. They are even wrestling their muscle to get the government benefits, depriving the poor people.

Taking advantage of it, the public representatives have turned the assembly a theatre, where you can enjoy comedy, drama, violence, tragic and more importantly sex. At least, in the recently concluded winter session.

All elements of the movie were played to your entertainment in the assembly. It witnessed violence as pandemonium, and uproarious scenes prevailed most of the time in the assembly. It was turn by turn for the opposition parties and ruling party members to create pandemonium in the august house.

If you get bored with violence, Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy was there to entertain the legislators with his broiler and fish comic statements.

On sex part, Congress lawmaker Naba Das was caught in camera for allegedly watching porn videos in the house. Cooperation minister Damodar Rout was there to infuse emotional moments in the assembly what he did during a discussion over legendary Biju Patnaik.

And, our beloved chief minister Naveen Patnaik was playing the role of a guest appearance, who only appeared at the beginning of assembly proceedings each day.

Even he did not participate in the discussion over Biju Patnaik, father of Naveen Patnaik, after whom BJD was named. And still, the ruling party is crying for Bharat Ratna to be conferred on the former chief minister.

The only part was missing in Odisha assembly was a tragedy as it was played out outside of the house. The duped people are still crying for their legitimate rights what the government promises during every election.