By Sunil Jena, Editor-in-Chief | The Politics Odia
Bhubaneswar: In the Odisha Assembly, the debate over women’s security has once again turned into a political storm. The opposition BJD cornered the BJP-led government, highlighting the growing cases of atrocities against women across the state. But what caught everyone’s attention was the fiery statement of BJD MLA Dr Arun Sahoo.
From an open platform, Dr Sahoo directly challenged the BJP government, declaring that the ruling party could never bend even a strand of BJD’s strength. He openly said, “The BJP government cannot harm our party in any way.” This strong claim has now gone viral across social media, sparking intense political discussions.
Dr Sahoo’s words were not random. They came with a deeper intent. It has been 15 months since the Mohan Majhi-led BJP government came to power in Odisha. Before the elections, BJP leaders had promised that within 60 days of forming the government, they would take strict legal action against corrupt BJD leaders and send them to jail. They even named high-profile figures like Naveen Patnaik’s close aide V.K. Pandian and former minister Pranab Prakash Das as prime targets in corruption and scam cases.
However, the reality today is far from those promises. Not a single BJD leader has been jailed. No corruption cases have been pursued with seriousness. Instead, the growing perception among the people is that BJD and BJP have become “brothers in power,” silently protecting each other.
Dr. Sahoo’s speech only added fuel to this belief. His statement has been seen as rubbing salt on the BJP’s unfulfilled promises, exposing the lack of political will to act against BJD leaders. Many now question whether the so-called rivalry between BJD and BJP is only for public display, while behind the scenes the two parties share a cordial relationship.
The larger concern remains — has the BJP government completely abandoned its commitment to fight corruption? And if so, will Odisha’s people ever see accountability from leaders who misused power for decades?
As things stand today, Dr Arun Sahoo’s challenge reflects a bitter truth: the BJP government, despite being in power, has failed to prove itself as a force capable of delivering justice against corruption. The silence against V.K. Pandian, Pranab Prakash Das, and other influential figures only strengthens the suspicion of a hidden political understanding at the top level.
For Odisha’s citizens, the fight against corruption and women’s insecurity continues to be pushed aside, while political leaders trade words in the Assembly and on social media.
