It is well manifested that the increasing instances of murder and sexual assault on women including girls of below teenage have indeed shocked the conscience of the people of Odisha.
Almost every day, one comes across highly disturbing newspaper reports of abduction, rape, murder and sexual assault on women. In some cases, the teenagers after being subjected to sexual abuses are killed by the rapists.
The State Government vociferously boasts of women empowerment and protection but is not taking appropriate and appreciable steps to contain the burgeoning incidences of crime against women and child abuse. The latest National Crime Record Bureau (NCRB) report reveals that 14,173 cases involving assault on women were reported in the country in 2013 as against 11,981 in 2012 with Odisha being placed in the sixth position among the 29 States. If the incidences of rape of the year 2014 would be added, it may exceed the records of all previous years.
Viewed from the area and population of Odisha, the instances of crime against the children and women would be proportionately higher than the bigger States which stand above our State. It is obvious that the Odiha Government headed by Naveen Patnaik has lackadaisical interest and a cavalier attitude in enacting effective law and opening fast track courts exclusively to deal with rape and murder and their expeditious disposal.
Odisha is now the repository of scams through which the State and national resources are being looted and plundered. The chit fund scams have evoked State-wide discontentment and distress. The poor people have been defrauded with false promises by different chit fund companies like the Aetha Tatwa and Seashore. The State Government conducted probe by its Crime Branch, the progress of which was palpably dissatisfactory. In fact, truth cannot be unearthed by the Crime Branch since it is a Government-controlled organisation with its employees being always eager to please the master. Now of course, the progress of investigation by the CBI has revealed some chilling facts which was shrouded in mystery and which the Crime Branch had deliberately overlooked. It is a matter of regret and remorse that the State Government headed by Naveen Patnaik is not deeply concerned as to how the poor who had invested their hard-earned money with the chit fund companies can get back their deposits.
Another scam relates to the fact that thousands of acres of Government and forest lands have been illegally acquired by politicians, including MlAs of ruling BJD, bureaucrats and businessmen. At Ghangapatna on the outskirts of the capital city, for instance, hundreds of acres of forest and Government lands have been taken possession of by these politicians, and after a public hue and cry the Chief Minister directed a Crime Branch probe into the matter. Some social organisations, on the other hand, are stoutly demanding a CBI inquiry into the scam. By virtue of the force of political power, the politicians and bureaucrats have been able to acquire public land and the Chief Minister cannot disown his responsibility over this issue.
Speaking of the State’s development, agriculture has faced a serious setback. The State has a vast coastal region and land is highly suitable for agriculture, but lack of infrastructural facilities deprives farmers of high yield of crops. It may not be exaggerated to state that during 15 years rule of the BJD Government no progress has been achieved in irrigation. Even where there are facilities for lift irrigation located near riverbanks, the concerned departments are indifferent and disinterested to provide the irrigation to the needy farmers. The BDOs and the District Agriculture Officers are not dispensing with their experience and knowledge to the farmers as to how to achieve higher yields. The distressed farmers are committing suicide due to crop failure as they become unable to repay the loans incurred from banks and moneylenders.
The people of Odisha are in desperate need of potato, but the State depends almost entirely upon West Bengal for its daily consumption of the tuber. Recently, the WB Government refused supplying potato in spite of the request of the Odisha Chief Minister. Is the WB Government under legal obligation to provide potato to usIJ Is it not a shame and a shock for our State when the WB Government refused supplying potato which we begged forIJ It is true that our farmers have profound interest to cultivate potato, but due to lack of infrastructural facilities like adequate cold storages to keep the harvested crop they are discouraged to cultivate vegetables. Is it not the responsibilities of the District Agriculture Officers and BDOs to intimate and press the concerned departments for opening of cold storagesIJ
Viewed from the 15 years rule of Naveen Patnaik, no tangible progress has been achieved in any sector. To provide rice at the rate of Re 1 per kg, providing bicycles and books and other alluring benefits to girls students while other essential commodities which are badly necessary for daily consumption of the poor are too costly, can never be considered a progressive development of the State as a whole. It is a clear manifestation of populist policy to appease the poor to achieve a leader’s base objective of securing their votes as quid pro quo. The poor and unemployed people of all parts of Odisha are migrating to other States for their livelihood as bonded labourers in spite of cruel treatment meted out to them at their workplaces since their own State Government is incapable of providing them job. This is in fact a huge humiliation for the people of the State and should be so for the Government.
The most distressing and deplorable fact is that Naveenbabu is unable to learn Odia language after 15 long years of his rule, for which he is reluctant to have conversation and interaction with the poor rural people, and even he is not attending the CM’s grievance cell to listen to the complaints of people. A popular Chief Minister never misses his opportunities. Charity is not the progressive trend of a State’s real welfare. It is at best a relief, succour like the palliative measure for an ephemeral period only. The status of the people and the standard of living determine the development of a State, and on this basis Odisha is considered as the poorest State in India!
(The Bhubaneswar-based writer regularly contributes to the letter to the Editor column of this newspaper)