By Sunil Jena, Editor-in-Chief | The Politics Odia
Bhubaneswar: In Odisha’s Ganjam district, under the Chikiti constituency, lies the heart-wrenching story of Prafulla Gauda, a daily wage labourer from Jagannathpur. His struggle has now turned into a desperate cry for help, directly addressed to the Chief Minister.
Prafulla was working in Sudhakar Pipe Company when a heavy pipe fell on him, breaking his hip. The company did not take responsibility, nor did they ensure proper treatment. When he went to the government hospital, he was denied free treatment as well.
Helpless, he turned to his local BJP MLA, Manoranjan Dyan Samantara. Initially, the MLA promised to speak to the company authorities, but when Prafulla tried to follow up, his calls were never answered.
Today, Prafulla’s family lives in extreme poverty. He was the sole breadwinner, and with his broken hip, the family had no income. Tragedy struck further when his mother, while travelling by train to attend a government programme in Bhubaneswar, lost her life in an accident.
Now, his old and ailing mother, bedridden and helpless, has made a desperate video appeal to the Chief Minister. In that emotional plea, she says:
“Even if you are not my son, I am like your mother, and Prafulla is like your younger brother. I cannot come to your Jan Sunani (public grievance meeting) because my son’s hip is broken. Please, if this video reaches you, listen to our suffering.”
This story is not just about one man’s pain. It reflects the larger failure of the system—where workers remain unprotected, hospitals fail to provide free treatment, and elected representatives disappear after making promises.
The video has now raised critical questions:
- Will the state government intervene in Prafulla’s case?
- Who will be held accountable for the negligence of the company and the inaction of the MLA?
- Most importantly, how many more “younger brothers” of the Chief Minister must cry before the system responds?
At the end of the day, this is not about politics, but about humanity. Odisha’s governance will be judged not by speeches in the Assembly, but by how it responds to the cries of people like Prafulla.
