April 1 happens to be the Utkal Diwas, Odisha State's foundation day. But for the past 13 years, Naveen Patnaik has been perpetuating an April Fools' Day on the people of Odisha, and we love him for it. After being Chief Minister for so long, he continues to cock a snook on the face of Odias, dares them to throw him out of power despite his apparent stubbornness not to learn Odia and still manages to draw large cheers when he speaks in anglicised Odia on April 1 and talks of protecting Odia culture, tradition and literature. He continues to overstep the part on mentioning Odia language and a vast majority of Odia intellectuals and self-conscious Odias prefer to overstep along with him in the make-belief that all is well.
If he had been the Chief Minister of Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu or Kerala, the media of that State would have asked him on a daily basis as to when he is going to learn the State's language. But in Odisha, the vernacular media are extremely forgiving and prefer to carry his English comments, somehow imagining that the Odia-speaking crowd would magically understand Naveenbabu's English and, therefore, why unnecessarily bother with Odia sub-titles!
A BJD leader once said there is no need for Naveen to learn Odia since he has a divine power to understand the problems of people by just looking at them. I am sure such divinity of Naveen is unquestioned by large sections of intelligentsia of Odisha who swear by the Odia pride but stops short of questioning Naveen on trampling the Odia pride with his willfully crafted Odia-import branding. Naveen has also been doing an April Fools' Day to Odisha on the issue of special category status for the State. On April 7 when he takes centre-stage for the rally of the BJD youth wing in Bhubaneswar, his speech would largely focus on how Odisha has been deprived of the special category status. He would talk of the Centre's neglect and Odisha's need for being given the special category status. In the same breath, he would also read about how Odisha is marching ahead with a nine-per cent plus growth rate, massive employment being generated, large sections of population being alleviated from poverty and an Odisha shining picture.
Many would lap it up wide-eyed notwithstanding the paradox being dished out by Naveen himself that how a State which is supposed to be racing ahead on socioeconomic development need the crutches of a special category statusIJ The Planning Commission members might have a tough time trying to control the urge to roll on the floor and laugh when on one side they are given statistics of a State which is closing on a double-digit growth rate, speaks of a quarter population being pulled out of poverty and still is somehow hard-selling the case for a special category status.
Statistically, how does he get this dichotomous logic past the nation's economic plannersIJ There was a saying - You can fool some all of the time; you can fool all some of the time; but you can't fool all for all the time. But with Naveen, this needs slight rectification. Naveen can fool Odisha all the time; he can fool India some of the time; but you can't fool India (barring Odisha) all of the time. This false bravado of special category status demand is a fear-stricken politician's strategy to keep his neck above the rising political waters with a person called Nitish Kumar not only stealing a march on Naveen but in fact leaving Naveen miles behind in his pursuit for Prime Ministership, in case it comes.
A few days back, an Odia girl was raped in Delhi. Two women BJD Ministers rushed to Delhi and met the Police Commissioner demanding the culprits be immediately arrested. This action is laudable and shows that the Odisha Government and its CM has a heart for the wellbeing of Odia women. A large procession comprising of BJD youth and women wings marched in Bhubaneswar decrying this event, and rightly so. But somehow, the same love and compassion is not seen when women in Odisha are raped and gangraped. Minors are raped and gangraped. Dalit and tribal girls are raped and trafficked. When crime is increasing and law and order is rapidly deteriorating in the State and women are audaciously molested in autorickshaws in Bhubaneswar, the same level of compassion by Naveen's BJD is not even seen miles away. No BJD Minister, at least a BJD lady Minister, is ever seen doing the rounds of the Bhubaneswar Police Commissioner. Not the politically correct thing to do!
The BJD brought out large rallies in support of Nirbhaya after the heinous crime against her in Delhi, and rightly so. But the same party fails to even murmur against the atrocities on women in its own State! But don't we love this doublespeakIJ Despite this split-personality syndrome, do not BJD and Naveen continue to draw crowds and that too with large numbers of women in themIJ Of course, Naveen has perfected the art of making a fool out of Odisha, and with his craftily broken Odia still manages the "Bhai and Bhaunimane" and the hilariously sounding pronunciations of Chandikhol and Kendrapada; law and order of the State be damned! Even after 13 years, many of us are ready for yeh dil maange more!
An oft-dished-out logic in favour of a half-baked leader is that since there is apparently no alternative, the famous TINA factor, Naveen is the only choice and, therefore, we must all bow down to him in unison and bring him to power.
‘The Congress is divided’ is the usual make-believe slogan. To a certain extent, I agree with this perception though it is inherently flawed in its logic. But giving due credit to the people, it is true that the Congress has not been able to build a solid platform despite innumerable attempts and frequent PCC president reshuffles. So, the responsibility of ensuring that Naveen is unable to April-fool Odisha lies with the Congress. If it fails to deliver a strong alternative to Naveen then naturally he would be happily walking to the electoral bank to cash his chips. The recent elevation of Ashok Chaudhary as the Bihar Congress president is encouraging also for Odisha. He is young in his mid-forties and by far the youngest Congress president in Bihar in a few decades.
The need of the hour is to project a younger and cleaner face. The real text of the meetings in Delhi between Rahul Gandhi and Odisha Congress leaders should be read between the lines. If the Congress only ensures that electoral ticket distribution is undertaken transparently and responsibly with the right candidates in the right constituencies then its game on against Naveen. The Pyarimohan Mohapatra factor will play a spoiler against Naveen and is not destined to go the Keshubhai Patel way.
Even today, there are at least 45 BJD MlAs and dozens of BJD Councillors across the State who are with Pyari. There are at least another 30 MlAs who can jump to Pyari's fence. The only trouble is that Pyari's resource points have been bottled up by Naveen but till Pyari declares his political party. Then the dynamics, both politically and resource-wise, are bound to change. The best opportunity for the Congress is to strike in the coming elections, and if it is not able to get past the post, at least attempt to get closer with about 40 to 50 MlAs.
This would help the Congress put the BJD Government on the mat every Assembly session, raise public opinion and generate a strong anti-incumbency which Naveen has been bucking for the past three terms. With a vote share rise of only four per cent, the Congress would get there. If the momentum picks up from Pyari, the resultant BJD vote split would be a bonus for the Congress. A small indication of it is already available from the results of the elections to three NACs this week. Further, with the BJP weaning away the vote share it had surrendered to Naveen in 2009 due to its organisational cannibalisation by the BJD, the 2014 elections, or shall we say 2013, are set to lead us into an interesting buildup. But till then, let the April-fooling by Naveen on Odisha continue!
(Dr Sasmit Patra is a keen observer of the Odisha politics. He can be reached at sasmitpatra@gmail.com)