The sale of non-vegetarian food along the Bada Daanda (Grand Road) in Puri, which earlier used to be prohibited only during rath yatra, would now be banned throughout the year. Would it affect tourism?

No. The ban is only for Bada Daanda, not for the entire town. Moreover, all holy places in India prohibit sale of non-veg food. This year, there is nothing new in this ban.

As the chairman of Puri municipality in 1992, I had successfully barred the sale of non-veg items at Bada Daanda for two years. After my tenure, it was again allowed.

I am happy that the ban has been imposed now. Just imsagine how hurt a devotee would be when he grabs the sacred dust on the Bada Danda to put on his forehead, but finds bones in it!

The Jagannath temple administration has been locking horns with Iskcon for organising the rath yatra during the wrong months in different parts of the world. What is your take on this “violation of traditions” of the car festival?

In a secular country, no community has a right to hurt the religious sentiments and beliefs of another community. People following the Jagannath cult believe the rath yatra should be held on a particular date.

So, when Iskcon organises it at its will, it offends all Jagannath devotees. It might lead to an untoward situation in future.

The temple administration has been protesting against this all along and I believe the state government also must oppose them.?

What is your opinion regarding the ban on the entry of non-Hindus into the Puri Jagannath temple?

It is a highly debatable issue and I should not comment on this. Some academicians term the ban of non-Hindus into a temple as crude conservatism, while others say that Jagannath is Jagat ka nath (Lord of the world) and should not be limited only to Hindus.

But let us not get into all this now. My opinion might hurt the sentiments of certain groups.

Moving on to the NREGS scam, what is the position of the state government since the CBI has already initiated a probe into the irregularities?

We are not opposed to CBI inquiry. The state has already submitted a report to the ministry of rural development on the implementation of NREGS. We have also submitted a list of officials who have been placed under suspension for their involvement in the scam. Those found guilty would be brought to book.

Many officials have alleged that there is not sufficient manpower to carry out the NREGS work and that the people have become lazy due to the Rs 2 per kg of rice scheme. What is your take on this?

Our people do not like to work if they are getting food. What more do I say about this?

There have been allegations that the state government has failed to utilise funds from the Centre. How would you respond to this?

I don’t agree with that. But it would be better if we could streamline the way funds are being spent for a particular scheme.

Besides the state government, it is also the duty of local authorities to ensure this. At some places, the block level officials work only five days a week.

A suspended lady assistant Marshal at the state Assembly had brought forth allegation of sexual harassment against you when you were the Speaker. Subsequently, you had to step down from the office. Have you ever tried to confront her on this issue?

I can never forget that incident. I had never looked at her in the four years that I was the Speaker.

She was shirking work and I had suspended her. One of the ministers (read Debasish Nayak) requested me to reinstate her saying she would go to the media to avenge the insult.

I asked him not to blackmail me and did not entertain his request. So, she chose to get back at me with such baseless allegations.

What are your views on the existence of a second power centre in the BJD?

This concept has been created unnecessarily. Naveen Patnaik is the leader of the party. Pyari (Mohan Mohapatra) babu has always offered him good advice. Pyari babu has taught him how to distinguish a cat from a mouse and a snake from a frog.

He asks Naveen babu, “What do you need — snake, frog, cat or mouse?” and in this way, guides him.

Why is there so much groupism in the party?

Infighting is being seen only at the upper level and that is because there is a clash of personal interests among the leaders.

Our workers at the lower rungs are very much disciplined.

They are performing their duties diligently and are not bothered about any power centre or who is pulling down whom for personal gains.

Do you agree with the view that one has to be in Pyari’s good books to become a minister?

There is nothing like that. Naveen babu and Pyari babu are one entity. They are not two separate individuals. They take all decisions unanimously.

A powerful leader

Considered one of the most powerful leaders of Puri district, 56-year-old Maheswar Mohanty is a seasoned politician of the ruling Biju Janata Dal.

Mohanty is a postgraduate in political science from Benaras Hindu University (BHU) and also holds a bachelor’s degree in Law from Utkal University, Bhubaneswar.

Associated with politics since his college days, Mohanty was the general secretary of SCS College Students’ Union, Puri.

After passing out from BHU, he became Puri Municipality councillor in 1978 and later, its chairman (1985-90 and 1992-95). He has been a member of the Shree Mandir managing committee since 1994. Representing Puri constituency, he made his Assembly debut in 1995 on a Janata Dal ticket. He was re-elected in 2000, 2004 and 2009 from the same constituency, as a Biju Janata Dal (BJD) candidate.

He was also the Speaker for four years (2004-08) but had to step down following allegations of sexual harassment by a lady assistant Marshal working at the state Assembly.

He was inducted into the Naveen Patnaik ministry in May as the panchayati raj minister.

He had been a member of various house committees — to review functioning of NGOs in the state, on power generation, transmission and distribution, on linguistics minorities and railways.

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

I was the first in my family to enter politics. I would have been a transport operator or a lawyer otherwise.

As a child, I did not have any ambition as such. I went on to study law and became a tax practitioner. I was an advocate for 10 years. But in 1978, I decided to contest municipal elections and was elected as councillor. I contested the Assembly elections in 1995 and till date, never lost an election.

I have had my share of ups and downs in my three-decade long political career but have no regrets about the way things have panned out for me.