The BJD Government's bad time which began with the Brahma Paribartan bungling does not seem to come to an end. From the Supreme Court's posturing on former DGP Prakash Mishra case to wrongdoings of Sarathi and Sura babas, infant deaths in Sishu Bhawan and the recent power crisis and drought situation in the State, the events have taken place in a queer succession to the chagrin of the ruling dispensation.
The Opposition Congress and BJP have left no stone unturned to exploit the events to launch their vitriolic attack against the Government. Although the BJD spokespersons have tirelessly been countering the criticism of the Opposition in each of the episode, yet the worry for the Government is writ large.
Chit fund, mining and land scams were nonetheless made major weapons by the Opposition to hit out at the BJD Government and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, but Patnaik managed to wriggle out of the controversies under the cloak of a clean image and by dint of his diplomatic handling of the UPA and NDA Governments at the Centre.
Despite shrilling cry of the Opposition Congress for CBI probe into the chit fund and mining scams, the UPA Government at its consecutive two terms lent a deaf ear, thus exposing the double standards of the party. The State BJP also was ignored by its Central leadership on several issues against Patnaik. However, the Brahma Paribartan fiasco, connected as it is with the lord Jagannath and the religious sentiments of the four crore Odias, proved to be a potential ammunition which the Opposition used to bend the Government down. The boldness of the Patnaik Government all through his first three terms despite facing several corruption charges melted for the first time in the face of outpouring of discontent of crores of Jagannath devotees over the incorrigible and unpardonable mess in the Puri temple.
Sensing troubles, the Government swung into action and asked the temple administration chief to take the Daitas involved in the mismanagement to task. Besides, with a damage control mission, the Government made it a point that the subsequent events, the Rath Yatra, Bahuda and other associated rituals pass off peacefully which did happen.
But before the public perception could be built up in favour of the ruling party, did come the Sarathi and Sura Baba episodes with their clandestine acts becoming public and the Government patronage for the fake spiritual leaders becoming the main plank of the Opposition's attack against the Government. The Government put up a brave face in the matter and ordered a Crime Branch inquiry into the illegal affairs in the ashrams of the duo Babas.
However, seldom did the uproar relent when the Government was caught in a vortex of trenchant bashing as infants began to die at a faster rate in the premier paediatric hospital of the State, the Sishu Bhawan. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan played a googly when he made the Centre send a doctor team to Sishu Bhawan to bail it out. With least sincerity to study the ground realty and find a permanent solution to the handicaps facing the hospital, the Centre's decision was decried by the BJD and the doctor team which was of least relevance in the situation as dubbed the BJD was returned back. While death continued unabated, Pradhan came down heavily on the Government for declining the offer of help by the Centre.
The latest point of rebuff against the State Government has been the drought issue. Rahul Gandhi after holding a farmers' rally in a western Odisha town and calling at the Sishu Bhawan threw his salvo against the Patnaik Government and branded it as lacking farsightedness. Union Minister Pradhan also continuing his attack against the State Government urged the Centre for deployment of a team to Odisha to assess the calamity.
Admitting that the Opposition has succeeded in creating much unease for the ruling party, BJD spokesperson Samir Dash said the Government is conscious of the drought situation in the State due to less rainfall in the ongoing monsoon and will soon come up with a package for the draught-hit farmers. He, however, said that the Opposition was trying to fish in the troubled waters by raising the issues for political advantage. Dash stated that the BJD will hold a padayatra from October 2 to 11, especially in the panchayat level, to highlight the achievements of the State Government and counter the false propaganda of the Opposition.