Srikant Jena is a powerful political potentate in the Congress. A close confidante to the late Biju Patnaik, he is a formidable adversary to the present Naveen Patnaik regime. He had occupied coveted positions in the VP Singh Government, Devagouda tenure and Manmohan Singh Ministry. After his stint in student politics as Kendrapara College Union president, he became president of Juba Janata Dal in 1977 after being released from prison wherein he languished for 19 months for defying the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi. He was elected as an MlA three times between 1977 and 1989. He was a Minister of Odisha in 1979-80. He opened his innings to the lok Sabha in 1989 and subsequently got elected three more times to the lok Sabha. He represented the Baleswar constituency in the 15th lok Sabha. He was a Union Minister several times. In an interview to The Pioneer, Jena spoke to Sugyan Choudhury vouchsafing that the Mahanadi waters dispute between Chhattisgarh and Odisha would be like an albatross round the neck of the Naveen Patnaik regime.
You are against the all-party meeting convened by leader of Opposition (loP) Narasingha Mishra. Even the PCC President has not criticised Mishra. But your opposition to Mishra has raised eyebrows in political circles. What’s your responseIJ
The Mahanadi crisis was actually created by both Chhattisgarh and Odisha Governments. The Chhattisgarh Government created barrages over the Mahanadi, which will affect the flow of river water and will not only affect the interest of farmers in the Hirakud command areas but also in the river’s delta regions. If the flow of water is affected then Odisha’s lifeline is affected. Even the rivers like Brahmani and other tributaries of the Mahanadi will be dealt a severe blow. Both the Governments were instrumental for this over the last 16 years. Naveen Patnaik kept mum knowing fully well that barrages were being constructed in Chhattisgarh. Both the Governments are pursuing anti-agrarian policy and pro-industrial policy. The Chhattisgarh Government is constructing barrages to provide water to industrial houses while the Odisha Government is providing Hirakud waters to industrial houses. Even the farmers of Sambalpur are agitating against this. The BJP and the BJD shared powers for ten years and then BJD is now in power single-handedly. Both the two political parties have acted against the interest of Odisha. The PCC president had convened a meeting wherein all senior leaders were present. It was decided not to involve the BJP who was also an architect behind the Mahanadi crisis. The loP was also present there, but then he called an all-party meeting to which I differed. The question is whether we can meet or sit with those two parties who are fairly and squarely responsible for the Mahanadi imbroglio. The PCC president too did not endorse the meeting convened by the lOP. The meeting was over and they have submitted a memorandum to the President of India through the Governor. I do not oppose any activity regarding the Mahanadi issue. Difference of opinion does not entail opposition for opposition sake. Rather, it reinforces clarity in our desirable agenda of plans and actions.
What was your party’s consensus at Friday’s meetingIJ
All of us decided that there should be a serious approach to the Mahanadi issue. There should not be any casual approach. We have decided to hold political meetings, road shows, wherein we shall expose the roles played by both BJP and BJD, who had accepted the construction of barrages with stoic resignation keeping the State’s larger interests at bay. We have also decided to go for an Odisha Bandh on August 16. We will to make people aware regarding the roles of BJP and BJD. We are suffering from poverty of irrigational system amidst plenty of river waters, groundwater, surface water and the like. The BJD Government has not added an inch of land to the irrigational system over the last 16 years. Only 25% of our lands are irrigated by now.
Do you think BJP as untouchable in the all-party meeting convened by MishraIJ
The question is not touchable or untouchable. The loP may call an all-party meeting on the floor of the House on any such issue. But convening an all-party meeting is within the domain of the PCC president. Anyway, that chapter is over. I don’t want to overstretch it farther.
The State Congress seems like a divided house. What are the plans on your agenda to counter the powerful BJD in the 2019 pollsIJ
The Congress is not a divided house at all. It is a mass-based party and is all pervasive in the country. Differences of opinion are bound to arise in any democratic party. We may have differences of opinion, but we have no difference in our cherished goal of serving the nation. As I see the writings on the wall, the Naveen Patnaik Government has failed in all sectors. You see the feelings in Kandhamal, where innocent tribals were killed, and he has no concern. At Maikanch in Raygada, the same thing had happened. At Kalinganagar, tribals were massacred in the interest of industrial houses. There are scams like mining scam, chit fund scam and scams and scams everywhere. The pity is that it is no political government; rhe government is run by a few bureaucrats. He (Naveen Patnaik) does not know ABC of anything. Bureaucrats have their field day and they rule the roost everywhere. Can we run a government like this which has no clear-cut public policyIJ You ask any citizen, he will tell you regarding the telltale evidence of corruption everywhere starting from the GP level to the block. I am sure the Congress will bring back a change by turning turtle the present BJD regime and by ushering in an era of a pro-people government in 2019. According to the Government of India report and the RBI report, migration is the highest in Odisha. Previously, unskilled labourers were migrating, but today educated unemployed youths are migrating as there are no employment facilities available under the government. The teachers are on the streets. Agriculture is in doldrums. We are selling our minerals to industrial houses on some plea or other and they are swindling away lakhs of crores of rupees from our State. The UPA Government had sanctioned a lot of financial packages for health sector, educational development, but nothing could happen here because in absence of a political governance.
Will there be a new regional party which will carry all disenchanted people to fight the 2019 electionsIJ
People of the State are not interested in any regional party whatsoever. Some disgruntled leaders might be thinking to float such a regional outfit, but that will not cut any ice. You know Odisha constitutes landless poor, SC and ST communities. The BJD Government is safeguarding the interests of mine owners, bureaucrats and some business houses. Naveen Patnaik got a clear mandate which no other Chief Minister had previously. But he has completely misused this golden opportunity. Can you imagine that when Odisha’s poverty level is highest in the country, we are consuming the highest liquor as per statistics. This is funny!
Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s mysterious death was probably caused by the overt or covert designs of the Nehru-Gandhi family, it is alleged. The Modi Government at the Centre and the Didi Government in West Bengal are unfolding the secret files. Political observers apprehend that the Congress will face the greatest challenge of survival if any untoward truth regarding Bose’s demise comes to the fore. How do you reactIJ
Some vicious elements are spreading this type of canard from the very beginning. Subhash Bose is unquestionably a national hero. He was also the Congress president. He had his death in an air crash. Some people are making a fuss about his death besides trying to undermine the great contributions of the Nehru-Gandhi family. This will not affect the Congress at all.
Are you going to contest from Baleswar againIJ
Contesting election is not an important issue. Is it necessary that I should contest electionsIJ let young people take up the challenge. It’s not a big issue for a person like me whose primary job is to educate people what is happening in our State today. Contesting elections is altogether a different question.
The grapevine is agog that you will be the next PCC president. How far is it trueIJ
A young man is now on the saddle. He is knowledgeable and has a good exposure. We all back him and will strengthen his hand to fight for the cause of people.