What is your stand on the Posco project?

I always toe my party’s line on this issue. The state government should ask Posco to shift base from the proposed site at Dhinkia to other places such as Bhuiyanpal, Kankanakandha or Padmapur. But Posco is not keen to relocate its project as it would be able to save nearly Rs 5000 crore by using the sand dunes there.

What are your views on Posco’s proposed captive port?

Posco should not be allowed to set up its captive port at the cost of Paradip Port, which is situated only eight kilometers from the Posco site. The Centre has given its clearance to the project, ignoring the Saxena and Meena Gupta committee’s recommendations. If we allow this port to come up, we won’t be able to keep a tab on the export of iron ore from the port.

Why didn’t you raise this issue when you acted as a mediator between state government and anti-Posco activists?

As a mediator, I had suggested that the chief minister should first visit the place and take stock of the situation. If he decides that Posco should set up its plant, we don’t have any objection. However, the chief minister was kept in the dark. Former agriculture minister and Paradip MLA, Damodar Rout didn’t take any steps to apprise him about the prevailing situation.

Is the Posco Pratirodh Sangram Samiti leading the agitation in the right direction?

So far, the PPSS has led the agitation in a peaceful, democratic way. I have lent all support for the agitation. Land acquisition should not be done forcibly.

BJP and Congress are planning to visit the Posco site this week. Has a tacit understanding been made between these parties?

There is nothing like that. All parties are visiting the site since it is a sensitive issue and is linked to the livelihood of people.

CPI is known for being soft towards the Congress? It has always come to the rescue of the Congress party at the centre in time of crisis?

CPI opposes the Centre’s anti-party politics. However, the party had made an understanding with the Congress to keep the communal forces at bay. Banks were nationalised because of our insistence. The NREGS programme and the Right To Information Act were possible because of constant pressure of the left forces on UPA government in 2004. We had earlier provided our support to Congress but were never a part of the government.

While the Left front government in Bengal had backed Singur and Nandigram projects, your party opposing Posco here. Isn’t this double standards?

Three days ago, Prakash Karat admitted that forcible acquisition of land for Nano project at Singur was a blunder. Nandigram was also a bad experiment and cost us dearly. Former MP from Medinapur, Prabodh Panda had raised the issue earlier but no one had taken notice of it. The issue was handled badly and Mamata Banerjee reaped political benefit out of it.

What is your take on the merger of CPI and CPI(M ) initiated by Sitaram Yechury and D.Raja?

CPI senior leader A.B. Bardhan and Indarjeet Gupta had earlier raised this issue. At that time, the CPI(M) did not agree to the proposal. Now Sitaram Yechury felt the need for a merger of two left forces. Discussions are on. A guideline should be prepared. Many issues will crop up such as new name for the emerging party, how the left ideology can be maintained, etc.

What is your comment on the Left parties performance in Orissa?

The influence of the Left front has come down substantially. There are many factors responsible for it. Besides, youths should understand the economy of the country. More efforts should be taken to propagate the Left ideology.

It has been alleged that you oppose Damodar Rout as per instructions of BJD’s second power centre Pyari Mohan Mohapatra?

These are politically-motivated allegations. I oppose Dama babu as he did not do anything worthwhile for the development of Paradip. His offensive remarks against the Dalit community has also infuriated me.

Do you enjoy a good rapport with the Pyari Mohan Mohapatra?

Pyari babu believes in communist ideology. During his student’s career, he was a member of the AISF. The way he tries to understand the problems faced by people is really praiseworthy. He wants to ensure that the state gets its due from the Centre. Due to these qualities, I have always given my support to Pyari babu and have a soft corner for him.

After Damodar Rout’s suspension from BJD, do you feel that a political vacuum has been created in Jagatsinghpur district?

Not at all. Dama babu has no more clout there. He has failed to build up any organisation. There is a public anger against him. Earlier, he had won the elections by huge margins due to Biju Patnaik’s image. Now, he is depending on Naveen’s image to save his political career. BJD needs a substitute for Dama babu in Jagatsinghpur district.

Would you accept if the BJD offers you a party ticket?

See, I am now a CPI MP. There has been no proposal from the BJD so far. Why should you ask this question at this point? I don’t want you to make assumptions.

What would you have been had you not been a politician?

Honestly, I did not have any ambitions as a child. By profession, I am a lawyer. I have taken up a number of issues concerning common people. I am above petty party
politics. My aim is to provide them justice. Because of my efforts, the people who had lost their land because of the establishment of the Essar steel plant, managed to get
Rs 19 lakh per acre instead the earlier fixed amount of Rs 10 lakh per acre. The company had to cough up nearly Rs 100 crore for this. My legal acumen forced various
companies to spend money on corporate social responsibility.

For the cause of farmers

Intricately involved in the anti-Posco agitation, 47-year-old Bibhu Prasad Tarai is a Member of Parliament (MP) representing Jagatsinghpur constituency

He is the son of Dinabandhu Tarai, who was elected thrice as chairman of Kujang block
(Jagatsinghpur)

Tarai entered into politics during his college days

He is a postgraduate in History from Utkal University, Bhubaneswar, and also holds a
bachelor’s degree from M.S. Law College, Cuttack lIn 1989, he had contested for the post of general secretary in elections at Utkal University but was defeated

He has held the position of state organising secretary of All India Students’ Federation
(AISF) but later switched over to the Congress in 2000

Two years later, he became the general secretary of State Youth Congress in 2002
lDuring the 2009 polls, he was elected on a CPI ticket to the 15th Lok Sabha on a seat-sharing basis with the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD)

At present he is a member of the committee on Science & Technology and Environment & Forests

Tarai’s focus is on the socio-economic development of farmers in his home district