Bijubabu’s life of protracted struggle will always remain a beacon light as long as this Odia race lives. He was too big for me to measure him. But I always felt blessed being in his august company for more than four decades.
I enjoyed very intimate relations with him. From 60’s till he left us for his heavenly abode, I have been inseparable in his sojourn. I have never entered into the portals of higher education, nor did I enjoy the privilege of being born into well-to-do family. I have umpteen memories of how his fatherly affection made me and a host of others very loyal to him. Our petty failures did not go unpunished. He admonished in his way. A good work was given right support making him an inexhaustible source of inspiration. On the occasion of his Birth Centenary, I feel exhilarated to throw light on some incidents. In 1984 a meeting was held to select candidates for the lok Sabha in the forthcoming election in the party office. Stalwarts like Rabi Ray, Nilamani Routray, Pratap Mohanty were present in the meeting. I proposed the name of veteran freedom fighter and previous members of Parliament Padma Charan Samantray’s name for Puri lok Sabha Constituency. Bijubabu flared up and told, “Why do you take the name of a person who is not capable of spending `5,000-`10,000 in the electionIJ Nobody is prepared to assess the financial position of the party. I have sold everything and at last my Delhi House.” A bitter altercation between him and me followed. Bijubabu told, “Argue no more or else I will suspend you from the party.” This shocked me to no end. I left the meeting and went to Cuttack. Then he asked for me. In the afternoon my friend Ashok Das took me to Naveen Niwas where his cook Khairati told me that he (Bijubabu) has not taken a morsel of food after he came from the meeting. On seeing me, he told, “What did I tell you, so that you left the meetingIJ”
I answered, “Please forgive me. I felt insulted when you told to suspend me. So I left the meeting in a huff.” “Well, what has happened has happened. let us take dinner,” he said. This was the relation I enjoyed with him. After the Emergency, in 1977 lok Sabha elections, Janata Party swept the polls. Bijubabu became Cabinet Minister in the Centre. State Assembly election was held after some time. Janata Party came to power. After the Government was formed I was made the Deputy Speaker, perhaps as Bijubabu had a say in all matters. In the 1990 election, Janata Party came to power in Odisha and Bijubabu became the Chief Minister. I was made the Minister, Revenue and Excise. Some party bigwigs did not see eye to eye with Bijubabu’s decision as I was not highly qualified. But Bijubabu stood his ground steadfastly. I took all these as a challenge.
The general practice during that time was a tacit understanding with wine dealers in providing licence. Some members of the ministry were of the opinion to raise the number of dealers for more revenue. This did not go down well with me. I insisted on open tender/auction process for more excise revenue. A lobby worked against me and tried to influence the Chief Minister. He appreciated my stand and growth in revenue vindicated my decision. The most challenging task before me when I was Minister, Revenue, was the district reorganization. A lot of bottlenecks came in the way. But the daunting task of raising the number of districts from 13 to 30 could be possible because of Bijubabu’s unbending leadership and firm decision making. People of my State must be appreciating the better administrative efficiency it rendered them. The entire credit goes to my leader and path-finder Biju Patnaik. A small thing is still deeply ingrained in my mind. After he because Chief Minister, he advised all ministers to stay in their houses instead of in Government quarters, if they have their own houses. “You have a small house in Ashok Nagar’5,” he told me. In a lighter vein he asked me to arrange dinner at my Ashok Nagar house for him and some ministers. I arranged dinner. He relished food and appreciated his orders being obeyed.
A peculiar incident of that time strikes me. A landless labourer of Sambalpur district appealed to the district administration to come to his rescue. Though he did it for a number of times, the district administration remained unmoved. The man declared to self immolate if he is not heard. Administration maintained its silence and the landless man set fire to his body and died. In 1988 the then Prime Minister ordered for an enquiry. Member, Board of Revenue, gave his report indicting the district Collector This report came to my notice in 1992. I recommended for the suspension the district Collector and sent the file to the Chief Minister who took no time to stand by my order. This was a hot topic of discussion both inside the Assembly and outside. Some colleagues even went on saying that suspending an IAS was unfair. But Bijubabu declared in his grave baritone voice, “My Revenue Minister has done his duty justifiably. A district Collector is like father and mother of the common man. Allowing a deprived man to commit suicide before him is a crime. I have ordered for his suspension on the recommendation of my Revenue Minister.” Sympathy, empathy and steadfastness are the hallmark of this towering person. In 1992 after I toured Sambalpur district with MlA Prasanna Panda, the latter raised a touching question of 8,744 persons being forced to manage with compensation of paltry `300 per acre. Bijubabu was touched and felt incensed. He took up cudgels on behalf of the suffering people. He asked member of Board of Revenue, Sundarrajan to find ways to help the distraught people. No legal way to revive compensation. Ex-gratia was the way and Bijubabu accepted it with candour. `10,000 was earmarked to be paid per acre. But shockingly all people have not received the ex-gratia till date.
Severe drought wrought famine like conditions in undivided Kalahandi. Acute condition forced people to sell children to mitigate hunger. The Orissa High Court, passing orders on a PIl, directed the State Government to pay `25,000 to each family visited by death. Death due to hunger was a truth, the the court said. There was a proposal to appeal to the Supreme Court against the High Court orders. I refused it point blank. But bureaucratic machinations obtained approval from the Chief Minister to move to the apex court.
It shocked me to no end. I rushed to the Chief Minister and explained him the matter. He changed his decision forthwith. The Government grant of `25,000 was followed by his personal assistance of another `25,000 and a free house to each bereaved family. The district of Ganjam was hit by devastating flood. I accompanied the Chief Minister and the Chief Secretary to the flood affected areas. We moved from village to village. Bijubabu was hit when he fell down at a place. People urged us to visit more villages. Evening was near. Helicopter cannot fly after evening. Some people pulled us to stay back. Bijubabu pulled me from the crowd and we came back to Bhubaneswar in the helicopter. He immediately took steps for adequate relief.
In 1994 while on a tour to Bhawanipatna, a young man pelted stones which injured him. When I and my colleague Nalini Mohanty wanted to proceed to see him, he stopped us admonishingly. Police caught the assailant and brought him before Bijubabu. Bijubabu told in a lighter tone, “What harm did I cause you so that you hit me which left me bleedingIJ” The man answered “We do this at the instigation other leaders. I did not have any motive.” Bijubabu advised him not to indulge in such activities and asked the police to let him go. March 31, 1997 — I met him in the party office for the last time in life and sat close to him. He was then Member of Parliament. He usually comes to party office at 9 am in the morning. “Why are you (meaning all party members) behaving like thisIJ” he frowningly told. “I am not telling about you. I have your friends in mind,” he sorrowfully uttered. At 10 O’clock the same day he addressed a youth group in the Institution of Engineers building. I accompanied him. His entire lecture was tinged with emotion. “I expect a lot from you, young men of Odisha; so do not frustrate me,” he said. After this meeting which was his last, he went to Delhi and was admitted into hospital because of illness.
(The writer, a senior BJD leader, is a former Minister)
