The ‘Odiya Asmita’, ‘Odiya language’, and ‘Odiya Swabhiman’ were in danger. Finally, the fierce battle ended and ‘Odiya Pride’ won in the last Assembly and Parliament elections concurrently held in Odisha. The Biju Janata Dal which had allegedly undermined Odiya asmita during its 24-year rule was defeated both in the Assembly and the Parliament elections. In the latter, it was wiped out with no seat. The complaint was that the former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik did not speak Odiya, nor did he tried to learn it in 24 years of his reign. The civil servants, IAS and IPS officers learn the language of the state they are assigned to within months of their posting.
Admittedly, a good many observers argue that Naveen Patnaik provided a clean and constructive governance. We have no quarrel with that perception. But there is no division in opinion that Odiya language and Odiya pride were hurt by Naveen Patnaik and his man Friday, V.K. Pandian. Many outside Odisha may not know that there was a long-drawn tortuous battle launched for the retrieval of Odiya pride. The question is where and how the battle started.
The entire fight centred on Lord Jagannath, the tutelary deity of Odiyas. Three major issues were involved. First, for reasons not known, Naveen Patnaik government suddenly closed three Gates out of four Gates of Puri Jagannath temple, allowing darshan (auspicious sight) through just one gate. This was a mistake made by the state government that hurt the sentiments of lakhs of devotees. Due to fear mongering by the Administration, no one came out openly in protest against Naveen Patnaik’s government. The editor of News channel Bada Khabar and a handful of persons protested the decision. This act of risk as well as bravery touched the sentiments of crores of people.
Second, in the name of Jagannath Parikrama Prakalpa, the government did all un-lawful activities around the temple. Shree Mandir Parikrama Prakalpa was a massive peripheral development project around Puri's 12th century Shree Jagannath Temple. This News Channel Editor again came out against the illegal activities of the Government. There was considerable vibration across the State. People came out on the streets and supported the News Channel and its Editor.
The State Government violated the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains (AMASR) Act, 1958. The case went to the High Court. The Court ordered ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) for a joint report by ASI and the temple administration. In its report to the High Court, ASI and the Temple Administration said, irreparable damage was done to the Jagannath temple. ASI questioned the very intention of the State Government’s work, carried out without the approval and the permission of ASI and National Monuments Authority (NMA). But the Court did not order the stoppage of the work.
The News Channel Editor went to the Supreme Court. But SC, in its judgement, on 3 June 2022, said that this was not a fit case for PIL and it was loss of Court’s valuable time. It fined the News Channel Editor Rs. one lakh for wasting Court’s time. Suddenly, Odiya emotions erupted from across the State. A lot of Odiyas supported the News Channel Editor and paid him one rupee each to enable him to square it up with SC, but they dissuaded him from asking any apology.
The third issue was that of Ratna Bhandar, the precious treasury in the Temple that preserves gold, jewellery, diamonds and other valuable gems. The treasury was not being opened for public view and inspection which was the custom for maintaining transparency. The News channel Editor raised the issue in a channel which resulted in a public hue and cry. The Puri District Collector came out and said, “The main key was lost. There was a duplicate key and in due time it will be opened”. What a ridiculous statement!
All these issue around Lord Jagannath and the temple premises, started in February 2022 and almost evaporated on 29 June, when the News Channel Editor was arrested by the Government in the false and fabricated cases. In a few weeks time, he was released. Notably, before the arrest and jail, the Government tried to lure him but failed to buy his silence.
In one and half year, from January 2021 to June 2022, the News Channel Editor, Ardhendu Das raised so many issues relating to Odiya asmita and Swabhiman, such as non-Odiya contractors, non-Odiya businessmen, non-Odiya mines managers, a non-Odiya bureaucrat controlling the Government. The channel Editor also revealed with hard facts that Naveen Patnaik was dancing like a puppet in the hands of the non-Odiya bureaucrat.
This is how Odiya asmita and swabhiman battle had started around the questionable Government activities in Lord Jaggannath temple marked by a mindset of arrogant non-Odiya supremacy etc. The News channel Bada Khabar led by its Editor, started this battle which BJP successfully used as its principle poll plank and handsomely won the elections. We sincerely hope that the new BJP Government will restore Odiya asmita and end the exploitation of Odiya culture and resources by outsiders. The new government does not repeat the process of perpetuation of poverty by misappropriating the abundant mineral resources of the state. As a party that claims to be adhering to religious tenets of morality and principles etc., they should be wary of a spiritual maxim, “do not criticise others too much, lest you should become like them”.