Of Course ! We Odishans (Kalinga Putra) are not poor but Politics made us poor

Of Course! People of Odisha were not Poor, The selfish Politics and Self-centered Politicians made us so... 




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IOCL Paradip Refinery: Politics burying the public interest

Lambodar Prasad Dash

For Politicians, whether they are in power or not, to be down in politics and power is not new to India’s Politics. The recent controversy over the pulling down the VAT exemption to the IOCL’s Paradip Refinery by the Odisha government and counterattack by the petroleum ministry’s by threatening to withdraw further investment is another evidence to it. 

Defaced BJP Poster in Bhubaneswar - File photo

Last year in February, just a day before state-owned Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) dedication ceremony, Supporters of both Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) lodged dozens of complaints against each other.  Odisha Police remained ambivalent to maintain law and order situation from Bhubaneswar to Paradip. There were no serious issues either.

 When the refinery started its commercial production, in November 2015, mudslinging between BJD and BJP also started. Both the parties want to take credit of the establishment of this refinery. As BJD was under denigration after the South Korean Steel Company withdrawn 52 thousand crore project from Kujang, a few kilometer from the Refinery, and it wanted to regain people’s appreciation through this project. On the other side, Union Minister of State for petroleum and natural gas Dharmendra Pradhan wanted to play this industry card to fulfill his Chief Minister ambition. Of course much before the refinery started its production Mr Pradhan had engaged most of his own man in the commercial activities of the plant.  The local BJD leaders could not get much success to organise even a strong labor union. 

Torn BJD poster in Bhubaneswar during the Poster war- File photo

In such situation, when Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India in an official statement took the credit for this project and said it will be the gateway of the development of the ‘Eastern Region’, the frustration of BJD multiplied. Local BJD MLA and state Excise minister Dr. Damodar Rout chosen to counter the BJP propaganda but failed.

Before the dedication ceremony, IOCL, BJP’s had taken vigorous propaganda through both offline and online media. Life size pictures of Narendra Modi, Dharmendra Pradhan, several types of dazzling hoardings and colorful banners floated every nook corner of the state. Marginalized by the BJP in the publicity, BJD soon restored to a similar type of publicity campaign throughout the state, separately. 

On 6th February, 2016, just 24 hours to go before the dedication of refinery BJP complained that BJD supporters torn down and defacing the hoardings bearing the figures of Narendra Modi and other central ministers. Besides this Party alleged that state police department also helped in the act. Conversely, BJD complained that long before when the Biju Patnaik was chief minister of Odisha he visualized and proposed to set up an oil refinery here. Moreover, state’s ruling party urged that hence the project has come into force because of state government’s MOU to give land and financial support (in the form of relieving VAT for 11 years) they must be given credit. The BJP government’s act in a federal system is selfish and uncharitable. 

During the dedication ceremony of IOCL Refinery- File Photo

Since the inception of Refinery, several controversies breed in regular intervals. More than four attempt murder incidents, two cold blood murders of trade union leaders, the arrest of Odisha Stevedores Ltd’s owner Mahima Mishra in connection with a murder case, Arrest of Bapi cirkhel, a congress leader and union leader, storm over the Nitin Gadkari’s relative’s alleged involvement in port transport business are few cases happened in the last one year.

Recently, the rise of BJP and fall of BJD in the Panchayat Poll made the political enmity into more or less personal. On 20th February, 2017, state finance minister Pradeep Amat declared that state will no longer bear the burden of revenue loss given to the IOCL in the mode of VAT exemption. 

Justifying the move he said that as per its 2004 MoU with Odisha government, IOCL was to complete the project by 2009-10 but it started commercial production in November 2015.

The volume of interest-free credit for 11 years has now increased to Rs 69,892 crore due to delay in execution of the project. Therefore, the state government will have to sustain a loss of about Rs 22,745 crore, he added. 

Following the state government’s decision IOCL threatened to relook plans to invest 52 thousand crore expansion plan of refinery and setting up a petrochemical project. 

Paradip refinery is a public project and every taxpayers have a stake in it. If government plans or establishes a project for the benefit of the general public and welfare of the country as a whole, it is the responsibility of the both state and union government to make it more economically viable and people oriented. But the case of Paradip refinery involves the ugly political self-interest of the ambitious politicians who want to fetch power burying the public interest. 

Odisha Panchayat Poll 2017: BJP’s Vote raise is a gift not deliberate

Lambodar Prasad Dash

On 22^nd February, 2017, one day after Panchayat Election and a few hours before the beginning of Budget season Ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) supremo Naveen Patnaik patting his party MLAs at the Legislative Party Meeting advised not to dishearten and increase relation with the grass root voters. On the other hand, replying to the media, he said, he can give comment only after 25^th February, only after the official declaration of the results (!). These words send an alarm to opposition parties and others who are happy with the decreasing seats of BJD. Could BJD revive after this blow? Anything can happen in Politics, but it is relative to the situations which is unforeseen.

In the last article “Odisha Panchayat Poll 2017: BJD bleeds, BJP sucks, congress stucks” in pointed out how both BJD and BJP getting benefit from the weakness of the state congress party. Now I again am reiterating my opinion with a relative truth. In future, If Congress could revive, both the parties will suffer.

Let’s have looked into these election figures, in 2007 Panchayat Election, BJP and BJP were in a coalition government but choose a friendly fight. Consequently, BJD had secured 345 seats, Congress 303 seats, and BJP 129 seats. BJD had a majority in 15 districts, Congress had formed 11 Zilla Parishads with an absolute majority, BJP retains only two (Baragarh and Deogarh).

In 2012 panchayat election, BJD turned away from BJP, with whom it shared power for almost 9 years and fought independently. BJD got thumping result, it had made fresh inroads into congress and BJP territories like Kalahandi, Sambalpur, Sundergarh, Dhenkanal and seven other districts. It had captured 27 Zilla Parishads. BJP could not able to form a single Zilla Parishad. Similarly, Congress which had Presidents in 11 Zilla Parishads in 2007 has got a majority in Jharsuguda, Koraput and Kandhamal districts.

In 2012, BJD got whooping 651 ZP seats, while Congress lost almost 177 seats to BJD. BJP reduced to 36. Even Independent candidates did well than BJP, in total, they got 38 seats.

(Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik with BJP Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, During a Swatchha Bharat Event-File Photo

In a recent poll, BJP’s has performed well in Angul, Bolangir, Baragarh, Dhenkanal, Kalahandi, Kendrapara, Khordha, Malkangiri, Mayurbhanja, Sambalpur, Sonepur and Sundergarh. Most of the districts except khordha, Kendrapara, Malkangiri and Dhenkanal are in Western Odisha. Western Odisha always regarded as stronghold of BJP, even national party leaders gave more focus on it during the 2014 general and assembly election. Almost all MLAs are from western parts. Before the Panchayat Election BJD already smelled its defeat in these parts, as its gimmick on Mahanadi Water dispute failed drastically. But BJPs remarkable performance in Kendrapara, which is regarded as BJD’s castle, Malkangiri, which was once strong hold of Congress and Khordha where no other parties except BJD has its presence is noteworthy.

Even though Bijaya Mahapatra, the brain behind BJD and Naveen Patnaik’s ace opponent is now with BJP, yet Local Leaders alleged that BJD’s recent defeat in Kendrapara is due to BJD MP Baijayant Jay Panda. It is said that he himself recommended to BJP 4 names for Zilla Parishad and all were elected. BJD captured Malkangiri from Congress but recently it lost peoples support due State government’s apathetic attitude towards (Japani encephalitis) JE deaths. Khrodha is politically sensitive as it is capital district and since 2000 BJD never lost a single election here. The lost is due to growing goondaism of BJD MLAs like Prashant Jagadev, and unworthy performance of MP Prasanna Patshani, popularly called as Chicken Baba among political satirists. Defeat in Dhenkanal , many believed that due to the political indifference of the BJD MP Tathagat Satpathy.

Naveen Patnaik with Baijayant Jay Panda and Tathagat Satpathy- File Photo

Prasanna Patashani (MP, Khrodha), Baijayant Panda (MP, Kendrapara) and Tathagata Satpathy (MP, Dhenkanal) are many times ostracized for their antiparty stance. But people’s support to BJP during the Panchayat election is like a gift but not deliberate. 

Odisha Panchayat Poll 2017: BJD bleeds, BJP sucks, congress stucks

Lambodar Prasad Dash

“We have no option, Congress cannot give us protection, so we supported BJP candidate,” this is a version of Jati Pradhan of Basuaghai Panchayat which is under the Bhubaneswar Ekamra assembly constituency. This is the assembly segment where Ashok Panda, state Tourism, and Culture Minister won three times consecutively. In 2012, all the candidates including Zilla Parishad were from ruling Biju Janata Dal(BJD). ZP member Sangram Paikaroy left BJD as he had an aspiration for the MLA ticket but denied in 2014 but denied. As there is no scope to get elected from a Congress ticket he joined BJP in 2016.

There are several such instances across the state where discontent BJD leaders either supported BJP or have got BJP ticket. In the fifth and final phase of Panchayat election ended on 21^st February, 2017 Ruling BJD which stood top in the last four phases got 61 ZP seats, BJP won 55 seats, Congress 9 and others 3 ((the Figures are real-time unofficial results, not declared by Election Commission))

The dramatic change of voting pattern in Odisha is an undoubtedly a great blow to the ruling BJD, who ruled the state almost for 17 years. But the Congress who has been remained main opposition pushed to the third position. It is not a great surprise to see the decreasing support of the ruling BJD as it is already reeling under anti-incumbency factor and growing discontent among the party leaders and cadres. But BJP’s impressive rise in the present Panchayat Election from the political dark state is point of analysis.  Earlier, BJP was in coalition with BJD almost for 9 years. In 2009, just before state assembly and general election BJD estranged BJP citing its alleged involvement in the Kandhamal violence. Most of the party leaders went into absurdity; they have further degenerated for their alleged involvement in most of the scams, Party remained without or feeble grass root organization and ambiguous leadership. Just before Panchayat election Party also under sharp criticism over the dilly-dallying the decision on the construction of dams over the upper course of the Mahanadi River by Chhattisgarh government.

In 2014 assembly and general election BJP’s performance was good in comparison to 2009 assembly and general election. In 2009, not a single MP got elected from BJP, only 6 of its candidates own in assembly poll. But in 2014, not only it fetched only one Parliament seat, but also in 10 parliament segments it was neck and neck fight and lost 10 thousand votes. The MLA seats also increased to 10. During the 2014 election, it was clear that BJP and BJD were feeding on the Congress vote bank, yet lion’s share had gone to BJD.

Since 2014, Odisha has been under the special focus of the BJP. Almost all the central leaders and Ministers visited Odisha more than once. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Odisha more than 5 times. It has also given 2 lucrative and important ministerial berths, one is Tribal ministry and another is petroleum and natural gas. Just before the 2014 general and assembly election many a leader from the wobbling congress party joined BJD, while discontented BJD supporters and leaders joined BJP, many even got selected to important office bearer posts, got a ticket and even elected. After victory of BJP in the national politics and INC’s shameful defeat in 2014 the disintegration of Congress and BJD grew manifold.

File Photo- Naveen During BJD rally at Bhubaneswar

File Photo- Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Out of total 850 ZP seats BJD won 435, BJP 314, Congress 56, others 16. In 2012, BJD won 651, Congress Stood second Position with 128 seats, BJP with 36 seats and others including Independent won 22 seats. (the Figures are real-time unofficial results, not declared by Election Commission)  This shows that Loss of Congress is not so high than BJD yet voters now seeing BJP as alternate to BJD.

Many leaders like Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Party’s national general joint secretary(Organisational), Party President Basant Panda, State Prabhari Arun Singh may take credit for this remarkable victory , but the reality  is different.

It is apparent that even after the feeble grass root base BJP’s impressive rise was due to Narendra Modi. Similarly, in 2000 election BJP’s performance in the state at large governed by the charisma of Atal Bihari Vajpee.

There is a saying rural Odisha, Nephew becomes more joyful when he sees straw pile of his uncle. The impressive winning of BJP in the present Panchayt election could not strengthen the Party in near future. It will again lose its ground if Congress got strength, but it seems to be unattainable in coming Municipal election scheduled on 2018. 

Introduction to Impact of Social Media on Public Relations

Lambodar Prasad Dash

With our majestic technological creations, to some extent, we have succeeded to control the time and space dimensions. within a few hours We can cross 1000miles , we can talk to our near and dear with a click, we can watch a distant happening whenever and where ever we want(live streaming), we can hunt and kill our enemies without stepping into the battlefield- drone war, we can deliver our feelings into words without using your mouth or hands (swiftkey as used by Stephen Hawking). Now we are thinking that we can create a race with half human and half robots- Biorobotics, we are investing millions and billion dollars to create an environment to do everything right from our armchair without moving a single bit- matrix!!!

With what pace we are moving closer to the greater technological world we are also drifting away with the same pace from the real world. With the help of Internet, we created a parallel world “Virtual World”. We have created our Virtual Identity and a Virtual Human Society, we have created our business, build relations, Love, dating, marriage, even death…we can see a number of suicides during video chatting…..not all the things yet almost everything!!! you will be shocked there is also an internet literacy unlike traditional literacy, it has no direct link to education.

In one sentence we can say that We are now in a first quarter of the Virtual World with Virtual memory. And we are fast adopting these ultra-modern technologies as we feel it is more reliable, secure and time-saving than the Humans!

Assuming the total world population is 730 crore, As of End of 2016, the Internet users are around 370 crore. Out of which 230 crore are active social media users. According to the data, 10lakh new active mobile social media users add every day, it means every second 12 users.

The recent data from World Economic Forum (2017) says, the internet economy of the G-20 countries growing manifold during the current decade. The average spending on the internet for developing countries is 3.6% of the GDP and for Developed Countries, it is 4.3%. United Kingdom’s internet spending is highest among the developed countries, which is 8.3%, next is South Korea (7.3%) . India’s Spending is 3.8% of the GDP and Indonesia is least(1.3%).

When coming to Individual Social media Uses per country, People use Facebook more in China and India, Whatsup and Instagram users are more in USA and  Most of the Twitter, Google Plus users are from Indonesia, Brazil, Pakistan, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Russia, Japan, Mexico, Philippine, Snapchat users are from Ethiopia, Vietnam and Egypt.

According to present estimations,  130 crore users are active on Facebook, 35 crore for Twitter, 45 crore for Linkedin, 20 crore for Instagram, 10 crore for Pinterest and so on. Than we can say 20 to 30 crore people have actively participated in Social Media and it is growing day by day.

On the foundation of the internet economy, we are thinking of Digital or cashless economy.  The Study says, most effective channels for a Digital marketing plan include Website, email and Social media. For example, Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp handle 6000 crore messages a day.

Further, an interesting feature of the use of social media now revealed, the use of Social media is direct proportion to Right wing and anti-establishment behavior. With the spread of Global Nationalism, which is a new concept after a failure of Globalization of capitalism people ventilate their anger/suffocation through social media platform. This fact is corroborated by the growing users in social media in the context of Trumps Victory, Brexit, in India after demonetization. The impact of Social media is so wide and deep that From PM to ordinary man counting their popularity through the number of followers, likes, share, RTs.

You may reject the fact by your own reasons but the fact is undeniable. The survey on human behavior who are more or less approved to these technologies has revealed a bitter truth.

Most of the early social mediums like visual art, folk arts like Daskathia, pala, Chadheia Chadheiani, etc which we have seen and enjoyed during our childhood now archived, and some of the mediums which are seeing now will remain in Museums.  

However the heartbreaking pain we cannot undo our slavery to technologies and our obsession to live in a virtual world. Now it is a relative truth.

So, What is our responsibility is, we have to strive to make this virtual environment emotionally and professionally congenial to Human heart and mind.

We are here with some distinguished and experienced minds, who can share their ideas and possibilities to make this medium more humanely.  

Pseudo Nationalism: Wrapping own inabilities

Lambodar Prasad Dash

"The person who is inspired by good thoughts can accomplish all his vows successfully."

We are 23 childhood friends in a WhatsApp group. All have just crossed 40 Years age. If we generalise the maturity level according to the age, I think we are all mature enough to understand the current affairs. All are well educated, Responsible parents. Except two Friends (female) all are earning moderate to good salary. Some of them work in software firms. Some of them are in Pharma Sector. Some are teachers, some are police, Some are in India Army, only four friends including I are Businessmen. Although professionally I was a journalist after starting my own media venture, I forced to call myself as a businessman. Except one, who is from a Kumuti (a traditional business community, a majority are from North Andhra Pradesh and South Odisha) we all love to introduce ourselves as entrepreneurs. Whatever our present social, economic position our past was more or less similar. We were lived in the same town, we had studied in same School, same College. We were all from more or less similar economical and religious background. Every Saturday and Sunday our (Except I, I Occasionally joins in the chatting) WhatsApp engagement level is high, they usually spend three to four hours on it. When we discuss on different topics except for some naughty cracks our agreement and conclusion remains almost same. But When we come to the national Politics 8 of our friends are at one side Except two ( I and Dilip, who is running a computer hardware shop). They are all staunch Hindu nationalists and also supporters of Narendra Modi. Other thirteen friends always remain silent or force us to stop the discussion. Another Situation, at my Office 95 percent of our employees is between 25 to 32 years old, well educated. When our management (I’m one of the directors) took a decision or chalked out a plan, with great enthusiasm they participate and agrees to carry out the work. But when we have a formal talk (weekly once or twice we all sit together and discuss current events including, market position, politics, religion, Cinema) they Share Nationalist Hindu views and stand with Narendra Modi. They are highly intolerant towards secularism, Pakistan, and other organisational entities which are against the Narendra Modi.

In Both of the situation, I have found out one common thing about my friends and employees, they are all social media junkies. They believe Nathuram Godse is a freedom Fighter, Mahatma Gandhi was pro Muslim, For the sake of Nationalism (not national interest) there is no sin to kill anyone, and Indian Army should declare war against Pakistan unilaterally, India should acquire all our neighbour nations as they were once part of Vedic India, those who support Hindu nationalist philosophy are as good as Bhgat singh, Chadrasekhar Azad etc etc. When I ask them from where, and who informed these things to them they immediately without hesitation show their social media page and the postings. When I ask them how you believed all these things without verification, they either remain salient or argues it is true because it has generated 1lakh likes, some thousand shares, comments (!) The brainwash already started and a substantial portion of youths already succumbed to this deadly things. Youths are not getting any true inspiration and learning from our great culture and tradition, they turned into bigots. Their intellectual analytical capability diminishing, Logical Reasoning ability eschewed. Who is responsible for this? Why they are targeted? Why they are accepting these things?
I can say this is out of frustration, disillusion to the present system. Since they do not see any future possibilities of change, they are turning obstinate and violent. For an example, a friend who is working in a pharmacy company as regional marketing manager, said, we all doing jobs in private companies or business because we have not got an opportunity to fetch a government job. Similarly, when our company’s revenue decreased (after demonetisation many companies cut short their brand promotion budget) and we pushed our marketing staff to find new market opportunities, then they reluctantly took the work but supported the demonetisation. When I asked him about his hypocrisy, he answered I might not get benefit from it but I’m happy that rich are suffering (!) The present-day pseudo nationalists propagates that our past was a land full of golden opportunities and they are right at until this point. Their next Campaign is destructive, as they even unable to find out solutions to the problems. To hoodwink their disability, and incapability they make others scapegoat. They Injecting the idea into the brains that the destruction is irreparable, and when we started to find out cure they creating hurdles. The present Government Doing Nothing, we cannot say that they are not conscious about the growing menace; rather they want to catch fish from the dirty water.

I am an Human Being

My First Quote "The person who is inspired by good thoughts can accomplish all his vows successfully."