Bijepur by-poll: BJD on back foot as Chakada crisis looms
As the Bijepur by-election is getting nearer, there is muchspeculation about the winning prospects of the BJD and the BJP. Both the outfits are eager to make hay when the sun shines. Both are eager to outdo each other by grabbing any opportunity that comes their way as the battle seems to be intense with their prestige at stake. A week before, the BJD was riding on the roller coaster of public support but the following week there was a visible swing in favour of the BJP. The upheavals, though not violent, the ruling dispensation looks trailing behind especially after a case of farmer suicide occurred in the recent past due to crop loss for pest attack. An angry mob blocked the Kolkota-Mumbai National Highway at Kalapani near Bargarh keeping Brundaban Sahu’s body on the road in spite of the Bargarh Collector’s intervention and assurance of help to family of the deceased. Though the road block was lifted later on, more reports of farmers setting fire to their crops were received. Satyanand Seth of Pudapali village under lakhanpur block of Jharsuguda district set fire to his crops over pest attack. These disturbing reports increased the headache of the Government which had so long made a mockery of the suicide cases by attributing them to flimsy and whimsical reasons. Realizing that it would be difficult now to face the farmers’ wrath, especially when the Bijepur by-election is round the corner, the Government machinery is working overtime to find a solution to pacify the farmers. The situation suits the BJP which in fact was searching to fuel an anti incumbency factor and tom-tom State Government’s failure to protect the farmers. It remains to be seen as to what kind of sops the Government is coming up with to turn the tide back in its favour. The see-saw battle is on as the BJD is catching its rival on the wrong foot of lPG price hike.
Strange policy: No compensation if crops burnt
Paddy crops in several patches of western Odisha have been pest ridden. Agricultural Minister Damodar Rout had urged the farmers not to burn their crops. He has warned that farmers who burnt their crops would not get compensation. That’s fine of Rout, but what about the quality of pesticides supplied to farmers through the dealersIJ Even if spurious or ineffective pesticide is sold in the open market, the Government has a responsibility. If pesticide cannot kill the pest then what is the alternativeIJ The farmers are perhaps right and if they are denied compensation for setting fire to their seedless yield, will it not be a travesty of justice to themIJ let there be no politics over the tragic deaths of the poor farmers. All said and done, the Government must boldly accept the suicides as death on account of crop loss and loan burden.
Koraput rape: Cops still groping in dark
Over 15 days have gone by, the police have not got clues to the Kunduli gang rape incident and the case is going to become one of the unresolved mysteries of the year 2017. As days pass on, the police are assuring one and all to unravel the mystery with opposition leaders raising a hue and cry over the issue. Even as the victim is languishing in the newly opened lakshman Nayak MCH, there are allegations that the relatives of the victim are being harassed. On the alleged involvement of security forces on plain clothes, Koraput Superintendent of Police Kanwar Vishal Singh said movement of any security forces at the crime scene on the day of incident has not been established till date. “We are working on some leads to crack the case,” Singh said. BJD’s SC cell convener Bishnu Das has hinted at the possible role of special operations group (SOG) personnel behind the alleged gang rape. He has demanded a high level inquiry into the incident at a Press conference and suggested that the newly appointed Crime Branch chief Santosh Upadhaya should reach the spot for inquiry. Congress leader Pradip Majhi, who has been staging a sit-in for the last four days demanding action, said the culprits should be immediately put behind bars. He even spoke of taking the agitation to Delhi’s Jantar-Mantar to draw national attention. BJP Dalit Morcha chief Dilip Mallick hit out at the State Government and said, “The Chief Minister being the head of the Home department should answer when the culprits are going to be arrested. Meanwhile, the Orissa High Court recently has directed the Odisha Government to file a detailed status report on the probe.
Threat call to hotelier: Mafias call shots in R’kela
A mafia gang of three comprising Naresh Agrawal, Anup Agrawal and Rakesh Shyampuria, who have police records against them, is going scot free even after sending threat call to kill one hotel owner Santosh Kedia on a flimsy reason of refusing accommodation. Alleged to be in the business of black marketing of rice, dal and oil in connivance with officials of the department concerned, the anti-socials are now in troubled waters because of the gang’s murder threat to Astha Hotel owner Kedia about which an FIR has been lodged in the plant site police station. Even though an investigation is on, the unusual delay to charge sheet them raises suspicion about police action. The threat call has been recorded in the mobile phone of the hotel owner, besides the video footage of the situation where Rakesh and Anup are asking for a room to allegedly spend a night with a girl. When the hotel owner refused them accommodation, they are reported to have said, “Reputed city businessman Naresh Agrawal wants to book this room and if you refuse, be prepared for the consequence.” An hour later, Santosh gets a threat call from Naresh and Rakesh that he (Santosh Kedia) would not see the next moon. The incident occurred on Sept 11 and the investigation is progressing at a snail’s pace. Are the alleged criminals influencing the probe is a moot question. Meanwhile, the complaint is undergoing a course of mental torture as one of the gang operators is misleading the enforcement authorities with false allegations against hotel Astha.