Subhas Chandra Pattanayak
Mr. Justice Ananga Kumar Patnaik, Retired Judge of the Supreme Court of India, who heads a Delhi based NGO styled Capital Foundation Society, has not yet said the people of this State what exactly prompted him to confer on Orissa’s Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik his society’s “life time achievement award”, when Orissa is in ruins under his misrule. But Prof. Bijoy M. Mishra of Havard University, a no less distinguished Oriya, has told Naveen Patnaik before the people of Orissa what harm his life time achievement has done to our State in an open letter.
The noted scientist, son of Orissa’s legendary revolutionary Manmohan Mishra, form 180 Bedford Road, Lincoln, Ma 01773, USA where he resides, has expressed severe anguish over the sad state of affairs in Orissa. I will editorialize some relevant extracts from his mail, dated October 24, 2022.
Assume responsibility and resign
“I was in Odisha on relief work during the super-cyclone of 1999 and did notice the utter chaos and mismanagement. I was happy that the non-Congress party took power and you assumed the leadership. (But) with utter sadness, I am writing this letter in 2022 to request you to relinquish your position for the welfare of my State and of my people. As a school boy, it was a pleasure to meet your father; as an adult I feel ashamed to accept you as the leader of my State. I am writing this letter in English, since I am pained to learn that you have failed to learn the language of the people after twenty years in rule. Your attempted expressions in my language appear as a mock to the great language and as disrespect to my people in Odisha. With the law and order reaching an all-time low in the State, I request you to assume responsibility and resign from the position of the Chief Executive”.
Doubtful intellectual ability
Shocked to watch how Sri Patnaik offends the nation of Oriyas in the matter of their language, Prof. Mishra has told him:
“I happened to witness you in 2020 through a TV news channel when I was stuck in Bhubaneswar because of the Corona epidemic. You were trying to speak in my language with atrocious distortion. I learned that you were reading a Roman script and pretending to speak in my language. I suspected your intellectual ability in basic learning.”
All the progress demolished
“I am appalled by the lack of fundamental sophistication in the Administration. Odisha is a State of great ancestry, people being renowned for their productivity, bravery, independent thinking and artistry. Because of her utter disdain for foreign rule, she was neglected by the British leading to its total exploitation and devastating famines. Odisha reconstituted and became the first Language State in India in 1936. She tried to crawl her steps to reconstruct her lost glory by many worthy people’s efforts in creativity and originality. It is unfortunate that all the progress in language, literature and culture has been demolished by your total disrespect to the traditions and the culture of the State.”
No experience, no study
“You did not have experience in governance and did not study hard to learn. Many of your people in charge can hardly construct a full meaningful sentence in any language.
Ministers & Officers in racketeering
“Ministers and officers are engaged in racketeering, crime and sex scandals. Your administrative process has been to siphon public funds to your political party via private vendors in the name of contractual work. While you have done some such projects in a few urban centers, the basic infrastructure for people continues to be in the ruins.
Borders under intruders,Voters under intoxicants
“Some of the border areas are being encroached and occupied by cunning intruders. Your party succeeds in manipulating the electoral process through crime, money and vandalism. Free distribution of food, alcohol and cash in search of votes as a technique has made people in the State idle, unproductive and sick. While the minerals from the State are shipped out to create income, there is no public sector activity to generate employment. Unemployment in the State runs high leading to crime, fraud and violence.
Immoral people in uniform
“But the policy of creating revenue through liquor and drugs has caused a disaster to my State. There is theft, burglary, rape and killing in public. Police either are unable to take notice or suppress evidence. They could be inept or are ordered to keep quiet. You have failed to provide basic protection to an average citizen in the public. I learned that you hold the portfolio for the police. You should walk alone near your home to feel the pain of an average person in the State. I request you to release my State from the immoral clutches of some people in uniform, who are corrupt to the bone under your supervision. I feel pain to report that many appear to be intoxicated while on duty.
Impudence
I was waiting to see if Sri Naveen Patnaik reacts. But, he has no reaction.
Prof. Prakash Chandra Pattanaik of Delhi University, on whose authentic arguement Oriya Language bagged the status of Classical Language, had informed Naveen Patnaik in his mail dated March 01, 2014 that the Official document claiming Classical Status was put before him as a member of the Expert Committee by a private organization as its own report, thus creating a parallel copyright against the official copyright. Requesting the Chief Minister to look into this matter as it was “creating doubt of serious lapses somewhere”, Prof. Pattnaik was expecting that Naveen shall take appropriate steps to preserve the State’s copyright. Naveen had no action.
Impudence is the only Mantra he practices to stay safe in power, one feels.
Shouldn’t Mr. Justice (Rtd) Anang Kumar Patnaik weigh his award to Naveen Patnaik against the reality he has been confronted with by Prof. Mishra?