Bhubaneswar, Dec. 25: The BJD is expected to use its 18th foundation day tomorrow to express solidarity with farmers and blunt the Opposition’s criticism on the contentious issue of peasant suicides.
With Opposition-sponsored protests on the issue still taking place in various parts of Odisha, the party has sought to play it safe by organising the foundation day programmes only at the state and district level, unlike in the past when the day was celebrated with much pomp and show even in the blocks.
Party vice-president Surya Narayan Patro said: “We will observe the foundation day in Bhubaneswar and the districts. It will be a low key affair this time.”
Though he refused to comment on the reasons for not organising any meetings or functions on the occasion in the blocks, sources said it was a defensive strategy, as the party feared a backlash from the farmers’ community. Besides, Opposition cadres were likely to throw a spanner in its plans.
Having realised that it has not done enough to counter the Opposition’s offensive on the issue, the party, according to sources, has asked its leaders taking part in the celebrations to focus exclusively on farmers in their speeches. Some senior leaders, including chief minister Naveen Patnaik, though, may take the opportunity to raise the issue of Centre’s continued neglect of Odisha.
“The Centre has adopted a partisan attitude towards the state,” said BJD spokesperson Samir Dash, adding that Odisha was yet to get the required drought assistance from the Centre. Attacking the Centre at this juncture also suits the BJD’s plans, which seems to be following a policy of running with the hare and hunting with the hounds vis-à-vis the Narendra Modi government.
The central theme at the foundation day celebration will, however, be what the Odisha government has done to ameliorate the condition of farmers reeling from severe drought. The ruling party leaders, in keeping with the government’s stand that farmer suicides were unrelated to crop loss or debt burden, would seek to highlight the drought package announced by the chief minister and such other positive measures.
This has become imperative for them considering that for the past two months Odisha has been in a ferment over a string of reported suicides by farmers. Even though field reports from district collectors rejected the Opposition’s claim that the casualties were related to crop failure or the inability of the victims to repay debts, the furore over the issue continues.
The Congress and the BJP, the two major Opposition parties, sought to make political capital out of the situation with one of them even parading the family members of the deceased farmers before reporters in Bhubaneswar.
With the Opposition building up the tempo, some of the ministers had to face the wrath of farmers during their visits to districts. Agriculture minister Pradeep Maharthy was forced to cut short his visit and rush back to Bhubaneswar after being heckled repeatedly. The protesters in one of the districts even hurled eggs on his carcade.
Given this backdrop, the party is being suitably circumspect while making plans for the foundation day celebrations.
“We don’t want a repeat of such incidents. Hence, we have decided not to hold block-level functions this time,” said a BJD leader, who refused to be named.
