Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
Utkal Bharata is now registered as a political party.
Founded by former Parliamentarian Mahameghabahan Aira Kharabela Swain, the party has recently been registered by National Election Commission.
Its number is: 56/145/2011/PPS-1.
The Party had its third core committee session on July 30 wherein a new pattern of enthusiasm and determination to surge ahead to retrieve Orissa’s lost national pride, without in anyway affecting India’s national solidarity, was noticed. Its creed is Oriya nationalism, but it would work with undiluted respect to national integration of India. This preamble to its political objective is reflected in its very name: ‘Utkal Bharata’.
Demand for Special State Status
diminishes Orissa’s self-respect
And, in strict adherence to this objective, in its political resolution, adopted unanimously, it has rejected the idea of Special State Status that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has been seeking for Orissa. By insisting upon such a grace from the Centre, the Chief Minister has projected the State as a beggar, the resolution alleged. We won’t allow the State Government to compromise with the self-respect of the State, it declared.
Two-rupee-rice is counterproductive
Similarly, the political resolution came down heavily upon the scheme of subsidized rice being supplied to BPL people at the rate Rs.2 per Kg. This corrupting scheme, contrived for vote catching, has ruined Orissa’s agriculture sector by denuding agricultural workers of work-culture and making them lazy and lethargic. Ruin of agriculture has ruined the vast scope of rural employment that agriculture had been generating for generations, the resolution has said.
Industrial confidence shattered
Focusing on political chaos the BJD government has pushed the state into, the party has observed that Naveen patnaik’s 13 year old regime has derailed Orissa by rendering the administration rudderless. Internecine rivalry in the ruling party has become so acute and acrimonious that it does not seem to improve. Because of aimless in administration, not only agriculture is now in doldrums, but also industry has declined, corruption being at the core of affairs that affects industrial confidence. By re-induction of persons to the cabinet thrown out of the ministry earlier, the Chief Minister has established that in his government the corrupt is rewarded and this phenomenon has become counterproductive industrially too, the party holds.
Congress in nexus with Naveen
According to the political resolution, the Congress party is hoodwinking the people in matter of opposition to BJD. In reality, the Congress party has stayed a BJD’s collaborator in corruption and crime against the people as evidenced in absence of action against its MLAs who did not vote for Congress candidate in 2010 Rajyasabha election, which helped the BJD.
The other points that indicates to secret pact between BJD and Congress are: non-imposition of President’s rule after smash of BJD-BJP coalition in 2009; Central ministers visiting Orissa keeping mom over unveiled corruption in centrally funded schemes and the Centre’s blatant and deliberate reluctance to press the CBI to investigate into the mega mining scams carried out in Orissa.
This patronization to Naveen Patnaik’s misrule besides, the massive corruption indulged into by the UPA government in the Centre run under leadership of Congress has exposed the Congress as so much corrupt, that a government under Congress in Orissa cannot be countenanced, the party has said.
BJP would be opposed
On the other hand, the national principal opposition party, the BJP, which presently is in a leaderless state, it trying to coalesce again with BJD. If it materializes, in no way Orissa would benefit.
Therefore, the party resolved to keep away from the Congress, the BJP and the BJD and to oppose them, in order to give the people a transparent, competent, non-corrupt administration that would never compromise with self-respect of Orissa.
Land Health Card
Founder of the party Sri Swain, in elaborating the political resolution, declared that on coming to power, the party will use the Agriculture University as consultant to cultivators who would be provided with ‘Land Health Cards’ to guide them with scientific cultivation. So that, agricultural production would increase. It would stop the two-rupee-rice supply, so that wage earners would be active and agriculture would get proper man-power.
Academic Institutes to be referral points
Education in Orissa is so mismanaged that none of the universities and institutes is able to make a mark in national scenario. The party would change the scenario by making the academic institutes referral points to their respective locality, which would lead to enhancement in standard of education, Swain said.
High Court bench in Sambalpur
WODC Headqrs in Bolangir
While supporting the popular demand for a bench of the Orissa High Court in Western Orissa at Sambalpur, Swain stressed on shifting of the headquarters of the Western Orissa Development Council to Bolangir.
Swain’s address was laced with usual rightist rhetoric against Maoism.
Branches already in 28 districts
In placing he organizational report, Secretary of the Party, Ms. Bratati Chatterjee informed that in 28 out of 30 districts of Orissa the party has its branches whereas in the rest two districts, where district committees are yet to be formally formed, the party has already its active members who are taking up various party programs.
A distinguished group of political and non-political intellectuals watched the proceedings as observers.
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