Bhubaneswar:In summer of 2009 Odisha CM Naveen Pattnaik while addressing Media said ‘My every bone is Secular’ that was to distance his party from alliance and parting of ways with BJP, the party which secured his win and helped him reach the power corridor Twice in Odisha, All of a sudden BJP becames Communal to Naveen after being attached to it for a good eleven years. It was that moment some journalist confronted him, This author questioned him, it is nice to see you on Secular side, but why didn’t you broke the Alliance when peoples were butchered, Churches and houses were burnt in Kandhamal, why you waited to distance with BJP (till march,7 2009) barely days before General Election.
The Power Hungry ‘Secular’ Naveen sat back as mute spectator over the anti-Christian pogrom in Kandhamal in 2008
This after Bureacrat turned Advisor Pyari Mohan Mohapatra made a ground survey across every district of Odisha and came with feedback that BJD is gaining ground in rural belt and is now capable of winning above 100 seats on its own in 147 members Assembly, So Naveen thought of Dumping his old ally, it was Naveen turned into self proclaimed ‘Secular’ Politician
Such is his secularism that he didn’t found any single representative of Muslim community across Odisha to send to Odisha Assembly; He even cancelled the ticket of BJD’s lone Muslim MLA from Bhawanipatna, If winnablity factor was one reason of Ticket distribution as argued by BJD Insider
According to 2011 census, Odisha has around 2.17 percent Muslim, which makes around nine lakhs out of Total population of 4.19 crore, Christianity is second most popular religion in Orissa state with 2.77 % following it.
Time and again senior BJD Leaders are heard of saying Muslims forms only 2 percent around population, they won’t have much impact on results, forgetting the fact that those closely fight seats which was won by narrow margin by BJD Candidate, If muslims voters would have preferred Congress party over BJD , that would have made difference and those seats would have gone anyway, BJP would have reaped most of benefits from that factor, thus drastically reducing number of seats of bjd.
Every year during Ramzam the Minority cell of BJD hosts an Iftar Party at the end of Fasting Month, Almost all senior bjd leaders are in attendance including Naveen Pattnaik appears for a photo op opportunity wearing a skull cap at the event that is sole contribution of Secular Naveen Pattnaik
Political observer says Naveen may have supported Tipple talaq and Citizenship Ammendment Bill just to save himself and his tainted Party leaders skin from Chit fund Scam Issue, Which CBI is investigating and have grilled some of Senior Bjd Politicians while few are on bail after cooling their heels in Jharpada Jail
One Political observer even said after former Home Minister Chidambaram saga, where he was put behind bar more than hundred days on witness of murder accused Indrani Mukerjea, Naveen is feeling too much insecure after that episode, he is unwell and don’t want to get entangled in such squabble
Reacting to BJD’s support on Citizen Ammendment Bill, RJD’s Rajya Sabha MP Manoj jha said, it hurts as Biju Babu’s name is attached to this Party, Imagine if Biju Babu would have alive today he would never sided with this Blot to constitution.Unaware with the fact that Naveen Pattnaik was never a trustworthy and a good son of Biju Babu, that was the reason Biju Babu choose to spent his last moment of his life at the house of Dilip Rai
Biju Babu remained inexorable opposed to the BJP and its Ideology till his last breath
If some liberals still chose to bury, like ostriches heads in the sand and continued to believe in the myth of the BJD’s secular credentials till now, it was entirely their fault.
(The Author is a Senior Bhubaneswar Based Journalist, Having worked for National and International Media )
