Pest politics turns murkier in Odisha

BHUBANESWAR: The war of words between the BJD and BJP ahead of the Sunday visit of Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Gajandra Singh Shekahwat has reached a crescendo with the State Government slamming the Centre for interfering in State matters.Taking objection to the proposed visit of the Union Minister to areas where paddy crops were damaged by pest attack, Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout said the Centre is trying to politicise the issue by prematurely sending a team for assessment of the damage without consulting the State.

“In a federal structure, agriculture is a State subject. The State Government is taking all possible measures to address the problems. Since we have not finished the crop loss assessment, we have not sought any Central assistance. The State is yet to make a formal request to the Centre to send a team for assessment of the crop loss,” Rout said.In the event of any calamity striking any State, the Centre sends its team for damage assessment only after getting such a request from the State concerned. However, the Centre is sending a team suo motu to Odisha without consulting the State which violates the federal principles, Rout remarked.

Terming the action of the Centre as politically motivated, Rout said this is an attempt to defame the State which is ruled by a non-BJP government. “The State Government has nothing to do with the visit of the Central team as it is not officially informed about the visit of the Union Minister,” he added.
Coming down heavily on Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan without taking his name, Rout said some BJP leaders including Union ministers have been objecting to the State Government’s decision to compensate sharecroppers.

“Never before Central teams were sent to states suo motu or Union ministers criticised governments of the state they visit on issues without having basic facts or knowledge,” he said. Reacting to the statements of Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, Rout said the former’s remarks on the State Government without knowing the ground realities is not only unconstitutional but a direct interference in the State’s affairs. 

In a federal structure, agriculture is a State subject. Since we have not finished the crop loss assessment, we have not sought any Central assistance. The State is yet to make a formal request to the Centre to send a team for assessment of the crop loss Damodar Rout, Agriculture Minister

The lives of the farmers including Brundaban Sahu who committed suicide due to crop loss could have been saved had the State Government taken timely action as per the advice of the Centre Samir Mohanty, State BJP vice-president .

Noting that pest attack on paddy crops is not Odisha specific, Rout said neighbouring Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are equally affected by Brown Plant Hopper (BHP). However, the BJP is not playing politics there for political reasons. Responding to Rout, State BJP vice-president Samir Mohanty said the lives of the farmers including Brundaban Sahu who committed suicide due to crop loss could have been saved had the State Government taken timely action as per the advice of the Centre.