Odisha: Majhi ‘Demeaned’ Self With Jibes at Ailing Naveen Patnaik During Anniversary Event

Bhubaneswar: At a time when Naveen Patnaik, former Chief Minister and leader of opposition in Odisha is battling health issues, the incumbent Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi was recently heard mouthing scathing jibes aimed at the Bjiu Janata Dal (BJD) leader. Some of his comments came across as ‘cheap’ and incomprehensible, say political watchers here.

On June 20, when Patnaik was rushed to a hospital in Mumbai for a treatment cervical arthritis, Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Bhubaneswar to take part in the first anniversary of the Majhi-led government. Shockingly, the latter resorted to making some sardonic comments at the BJD in general, and the unwell Patnaik, in particular, which could best be described as “derisive”.

Majhi dubbed the Patnaik-led BJD bandwagon as “suffering from an inferiority complex” on his government’s successful one year, but somehow forgot that two days ago, he had tweeted a one-liner wishing Patnaik a speedy recovery. At that time, Majhi never thought that as the Chief Minister, he could have made a personal phone call to wish Patnaik good health. (Though reports say he did make a call, but later).

“Instead, Majhi resorted to the most mordant and contemptible way of tagging him (Patnaik) as one among the many who fled from the state to avoid witnessing that the PM was going to give him a certificate for his one-year completion”, said political analyst Rabi Das.

Das further added that “surely, it was not a case of amnesia that on June 19, Patnaik had tweeted that he was going to Mumbai on a medical emergency. So, it was rather selective amnesia that Majhi knowingly downplayed Patnaik’s personal health and tried to play to the gallery”.     

Constitutionally, any Leader of Opposition or former Chief Minister is entitled to medical treatment at government cost but the Majhi dispensation, perhaps, forgot that, or his advisers are not aware of such provisions.            

"Constitutionally or otherwise, mutual respect in politics is crucial for a healthy democracy. It involves recognising the inherent worth, dignity and health of all individuals, regardless of their political beliefs, treating them with consideration and understanding, even when there are political disagreements. This principle is essential for fostering good politics", Kameswar Rao, a senior journalist told this writer,

Ritik Pramanik, a political commentator, shared similar views. He said, “Mutual respect is the foundation of a functioning democracy, as it allows for diverse perspectives to be considered and debated in a respectful manner, and when it is a personal or health issue, one must rise above cheap politics”.

The ailing Naveen Patnaik, in his 24 years’ rule in Odisha, unfailingly demonstrated decency in politics and in any discourse. He is known to have never used ill words even while speaking about his opponents, he added.    

“The present Chief Minister perhaps does not seem to possess decency or rationale, going by his acerbic comments on the former chief minister, who is undergoing surgery in a Mumbai hospital”, said Das.

There is a general feeling among political obervers that Majhi would have gained more height as a leader had he rather visited Patnaik's residence before June 20 and wished him speedy recovery.

There is no dearth of precedents when Prime Ministers and Chief Ministers have extended exemplary courtesy to ailing leaders of Opposition.

In 1988, when the Leader of Opposition Atal Bihari Vajpayee had a serious kidney ailment, Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi made all arrangements from the government’s side to send him to the US for treatment.

In 2011, when Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was quite unwell, Narendra Modi, as then Gujarat Chief Minister had volunteered that the state government would bear all her medical expenses. It is a different matter that Sonia Gandhi did not need support from the Gujarat government financially.

In 1970, when Morarji Desai developed acute health problems, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s government undertook the responsibility of all the expenses of his treatment.

All said and done, it is felt that Majhi ruined his own image by berating a former Chief Minister, who is on a hospital bed right now.   

The writer is a freelancer based in Odisha with over 40 years’ experience in the profession.