Apathy to activist to foment trouble for Jual

Rourkela’s young social activist Muktikanta Biswal has walked all through to Delhi from the steel city to meet and remind the Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the promises he had made during his maiden visit to here as Prime Minister on April 1, 2015.

During his visit three years back, the PM had announced for construction of a second bridge over the Brahmani river near Panposh and upgrading the Ispat General Hospital (IGH) to a medical college and super specialty hospital.

But despite the declaration of the PM, both the projects which have much importance for Rourkela as well as for entire Sundargarh district did not get any momentum for a long period. Due to inordinate delay, senior BJP leader and Rourkela MLA Dilip Ray (as both the projects are his dream and also his commitment to the denizens of Rourkela during 2014 election campaign) has not only expressed his dissatisfaction on many occasions but also has been disassociating himself from party programmes for last couple of years.

Even he has threatened for agitation on many occasions. Amid hue and cry on July 21, 2017, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways,

Shipping and Water Resources Nitin Gadkari had laid foundation stone for the second Brahmani bridge with a declaration that the construction work will begin in 15 days. But, despite this, the work was not started for months together and finally Biswal decided to meet the PM to remind him of his announcement and started walking to Delhi on April 16 and covering more than 1,350 km he reached Delhi on June 27 morning.

But, while the steps of Biswal drew attention of the national media, they are a talk in the steel city and put the BJP on its toes. The reaction of Sundargarh MP and Union Tribal Affair Minister Jual Oram and some of local BJP leaders on Biswal’s activity has not only back fired for the BJP here but also may foment further trouble for Oram, feel many political pundits here.

Because after reaching Delhi, Biswal met Oram first, seeking his help to meet the PM. But instead of showing cooperation,  Oram outright turned down his request saying that there is no need of meeting the PM as the construction work for the second bridge had already started and works for super specialty in burn and plastic surgery department of IGH had already been initiated. Besides, Oram said he smelt political conspiracy in Biswal’s activity which has triggered sharp reactions in Sundargarh, particularly in Rourkela.

First of all, while Biswal started his journey no construction work for the bridge was started. Secondly, a month of back, Oram had declared that Rs 200 crore had been sanctioned from the Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) for the super specialty hospital.

The question is when the SAIL is spending Rs10 crore for the super specialty departments in Burn and Plastic Surgery for which the foundation stone was laid in the second week of June, how is the project linked with the Rs 200 crore Central grant. Besides, upgrading the IGH to a medical college is still uncertain.

Oram’s statement that Biswal was sponsored by the Opposition has stoked a row as other political parties, intellectuals and social organisations have decried it and welcomed the step of Biswal. If according to Oram, everything is going on proper track, then where the problem is for him facilitating for a meeting of Biswal with the PM, they questioned.

Of course, courting a controversy is no new thing for Oram. Earlier, he was in talk by slapping his PA openly, forcing the latter to carry his shoes in hands, saying Bhuyans are not tribal. Many feel it would be impossible for Oram to facilitate a meeting with the PM as he is not carrying good rapport with the PMO and many Central leaders since the emergence of Dharmendra Pradhan.

Besides, the issue has created a rift in the BJP with Dilip Ray on one side and Oram on the other. It is said that in coming days, it would cost the local BJP dear.