Efforts on to check Maoist violence in State: DGP

PRAFULLA DAS

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Performance of the police personnel comes in for praise

The State police, with the deployment of Central paramilitary forces in the Maoist violence-hit regions, are now trying their best to tackle the menace of Left wing extremism in an effective manner.

While in many regions the police have succeeded in counterchecking the Maoist activities during the past one year, efforts are now on to prevent Maoist strikes in the regions where the extremists were still active or trying to regroup. The success was achieved by busting of a number of Maoist camps and seizure of arms and ammunitions.

“We are trying our very best to bring down the Maoist violence profile in the State and provide security cover to developmental activities,” State Director General of Police Manmohan Praharaj told The Hindu on Thursday.

The DGP is happy over the performance of the State police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Border Security Force (BSF) that had given led to a decline in the Maoist violence in the State in 2011 when compared to 2010.

The total death roll relating to the Maoist menace stood at 49 in 2011, which was less than the previous year. The 49 deaths reported in the State this year include the death of two security personnel and auxiliary staff of the State police, death of nine police personnel from Chhattisgarh in a Maoist attack in Nuapada district a few months ago. The remaining deaths include 23 Maoists and remaining were civilians.

The regions where the police succeeded in arresting the growth of Maoists during 2011 include the districts such Keonjhar, Jajpur, and Dhenkanal. The menace was also brought under control to a great extent in Sundargarh district bordering Jharkhand, according to sources.

The police, however, are now focusing on deploying more Central forces in Nabarangpur, Nuapada, Bargarh, and Bolangir districts where the Maoists are resorting to violence during the recent months. The other areas where efforts are being made to take on the Maoists in an effective way include portions of Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, and Rayagada districts.

Under surveillance

The top officials of the State police are now happy that they had managed to keep the Maoist problem under control in some regions, and are preparing to tackle them in other inaccessible areas in Koraput and Malkangiri districts in the coming months. Narayanpatna Block in Koraput is also under strict surveillance of the police where the situation is under control during the past few months.

However, going by the ground realities, it seems that it will take time to put an end to the Maoist problem that spread to 21 of the 30 districts in the State.

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49 persons died in Naxal violence this year

Maoist problem spreads to 21 of 30 districts

BJD going strong despite scams

The ruling Biju Janata Dal, which celebrated its 14{+t}{+h}Foundation Day on Monday, appears to be going strong despite its government facing a series of scams in recent years.

It was evident from the claims the leaders of the party made at a meeting held here to mark the party's completion of 14 years. The meeting virtually turned out to the launching of the party's campaign for the panchayat polls scheduled for February.

Even though the scams such as mining, land, coal, dal, mark sheet and MGNREGS had generated enough criticism against their government, the leaders who addressed the meeting at the party office claimed they would comfortably win a majority in the panchayat polls.

Putting on a brave face, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and many other leaders of the party tried their best to criticise the Congress-led government at the Centre on various issues to keep the morale of the party workers high ahead of the panchayat polls.

Mineral resource rent tax

Mr. Patnaik criticised the UPA government for not revising royalty on iron ore and not imposing Mineral Resource Rent Tax despite he writing several letters to the Prime Minister.

In his usual style, the Chief Minister also highlighted the various welfare measures launched by his government for the benefit of the people belonging to different sections of the society. He also urged the party workers to inform the people about his government.

Apparently aware of the fact that opposition Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party were unable to garner sufficient public support, one of the senior leaders even went to claim that their party would win at least 450 Zilla Parishad seats in the panchayat polls.

Although their party was plagued by infighting, the BJD leaders claimed that they would win the forthcoming panchayat polls.

Naveen, party leaders flay Central government on various issues

Chief Minister highlights welfare measures launched by his government

Ad blitz with an eye on panchayat polls?

PRAFULLA DAS

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It is on the lines of India Shining campaign undertaken by the NDA government

Is Odisha really shining or the Naveen Patnaik government trying hard to create a feel-good factor by launching an advertisement blitzkrieg ahead of the forthcoming panchayat polls?

Whatever be the truth, the advertisement campaign launched by the State government certainly tells an unusual story.

The advertisement campaign seems to have been undertaken by different departments of the State government to highlight various pro-people schemes with a clear intention to garner support in favour of the ruling Biju Janata Dal ahead of the polls scheduled to be held in February next.

A cursory look at the local newspapers during the past couple of days makes it clear enough that the advertisements are being released by the government just to highlight various welfare programmes without any reason, but to justify that the government has been doing a lot for the poor and deprived sections of society.

Full page ads

Several newspapers have been given three or four advertisements each on a daily basis during the past few days, all highlighting government schemes meant for different sections of society.

Many of these advertisements are full-page advertisements that would make any media house feel happy in terms of revenue generation. According to political analysts, the ongoing advertisement campaign, being carried out before the issuance of the notification for the panchayat elections that would bring the model code of conduct into force, is not only aimed at generating support for the ruling party ahead of the polls but also to refurbish the image of the government, which is being criticised for various scams.

It is a different matter that the opposition parties have so far not reacted to the issue or raised questions whether the government is right in releasing a series of advertisements using taxpayer's money for gaining political mileage.

But the number of advertisements released by various departments certainly reminds of the India Shining slogans of the erstwhile Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in which the BJD was a partner.

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Political analysts see it as an attempt at image makeover by the BJD

Opposition parties are yet to react to the high-voltage campaign