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Hindustan Times
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Odisha services hit as OAS officers continue strike seeking arrest of BJP leader
Nearly 1,500 officers of the Odisha Administrative Service (OAS) and Odisha Revenue Service (ORS) across more than 20 districts continued their indefinite mass leave on Thursday in protest against the assault on Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation additional commissioner Ratnakar Sahoo. Visuals from the alleged assault on an Odisha administrative officer. (Video grab) The strike, which began on July 1, has disrupted essential public services, leaving citizens grappling with delays in critical administrative processes, from land records to public grievance redressal, as the state government scrambles to address the escalating crisis. The flashpoint of this agitation was the incident on June 30 when Sahoo was dragged from his office chamber and assaulted by a group of miscreants allegedly at the behest of BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan. The attackers reportedly asked Sahu to apologise to Pradhan during a public grievance hearing, an act that the Odisha Administrative Service Association (OASA) has condemned as an 'assault on the dignity of public service.' A video of the incident, widely circulated on social media, sparked outrage among bureaucrats and the public, amplifying calls for swift justice. So far, the Police Commissionerate has arrested BJP corporator Aparaup Narayan Rout, Sanjeev Mishra, Sachikanta Swain, Rashmi Mahapatra and Debasish Pradhan. BJP has also suspended them from the party. Though the OAS officers initially agreed to postpone their strike after their meeting with chief minister on Monday, have refused to join work while making three 'non-negotiable' demands: the immediate arrest of Jagannath Pradhan who they called 'prime accused and kingpin', robust security measures for field-level officers such as tehsildars, block development officers, and sub-collectors; and exemplary action to restore confidence in the administrative framework. The association has vowed to continue the strike until these demands are met, with officers in districts like Cuttack, Balasore, Mayurbhanj, Jagatsinghpur, Bhadrak, Rayagada, Bolangir, Sonepur, Ganjam, and others joining the protest. The officers claim that Pradhan's actions have created an environment of fear and disrespect, making it difficult for them to discharge their duties effectively and impartially. The state government, caught off guard by the scale of the agitation, has appealed to the officers to resume work, citing the public interest. Revenue minister Suresh Pujari said this is not an appropriate time for officers to go on strike, especially with the ongoing Puri Ratha Yatra and prevailing flood-like conditions in parts of the state. He urged the officers to return to work and reiterated the state government is open to discussions. The state BJP leadership in Odisha seems to be backing Pradhan denying the allegations against him and calling the strike politically motivated. 'These are baseless accusations designed to divert attention from the government's failures,' a BJP spokesperson said. Pradhan met party's state unit president Manmohan Samal on Wednesday evening and said he has offered his full cooperation in whatever legal action is taken against him as per law. 'The state government will take a further call and if something is decided, we will inform,' he said.
Indian Express
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Two incidents of assault, two states, one story — abuse of power
Two incidents of assault in two states this week tell the same dismal story: About the rule of law being flouted by the powerful, and of the sense of impunity that makes this a recurring event. In Himachal Pradesh, Anirudh Singh, the state's Rural Development and Panchayati Raj Minister, was booked on Tuesday for allegedly assaulting two officials of the National Highways Authority of India during a site visit. Just a day earlier, in Odisha, an official of the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation was dragged out of a grievance redressal meeting that he was presiding over in his chamber and beaten up by a group of individuals, who allegedly demanded that he apologise for misbehaving with BJP leader Jagannath Pradhan. It hardly matters that a Congress government is in power in Himachal Pradesh and that Odisha is a BJP-ruled state. Similar incidents in different parts of the country over the years are proof that an overblown sense of entitlement in the power-drunk translates into a disrespect for others and the rules of the game, and that it cuts across party and regional lines. These two incidents in Himachal and Odisha, in particular, highlight a disturbing winner-takes-all attitude that stems from the belief that to be in power or to have the patronage of those in power is to be above the law. In a political culture that makes fear and favour its currency, this means that the ruler-subject model, which should have no place in a democracy, becomes routinised. Bureaucrats are partners in administration, not durbaris in the raja's court. Exemplary action must be taken. In Himachal Pradesh, amidst calls for the minister's resignation, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu has assured that the due process of the law will unfold. In Odisha, three of the accused have been arrested, with the BJP suspending the primary membership of five party workers for their alleged involvement in the assault on the BMC officer. In all such incidents that threaten to erode public faith in the rule of law, those found guilty of abusing their position and power must face — and they must be seen to face — the consequences of their actions. Sending out the message that no one is above the law in a democracy is the only way forward.
