By D N Singh
Today is the day when a little baby boy took birth in Odisha, who later became a phenomenally and physically tall leader in Indian politics.
Sky Was The Limit He Could Fly
Sky was the limit that his thoughts flied up to and his daredevilry has been recorded in the history of Indian politics. When as an ace pilot he dodged the deadly skirmishes of the second World War to reach Indonesia to rescue that country’s President Sukarno and the prime minister, Sutan Sjahrir.
And his courage was manifest when during the Indo-China war in 1962, he flew through the fierce skies to supply weapons and other things for the Indian soldiers at the frontiers.
In politics, he had craved an image of himself that was far removed from the conventional tenor and for him it was always the goalpost that mattered not, the hurdles on the way.
For his people he was ready to steamroll any obstacles come-what-may and that was his instinct not to genuflect before any trivial odds.
For Odisha, it has remained a special day as his birth anniversary on March 5.
This tall leader, father of the incumbent Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, was perhaps the only political leader, who as the chief minister of the State could dare to tell the prime minister of the country that, ‘ do not teach me lessons in patriotism’ and to a former PM, ‘ you have played on my laps’. That was Biju Patnaik.
A recalls, for instance, reveal his courage when he had suspended one Excise Commissioner in 1991.
The IAS association of the state held an emergency meeting at a club passing a resolution that the suspension of the officer be withdrawn.
Biju babu took the challenge head-on and decided to appoint the Odisha Administrative Officers(OAS) as the district Collectors and as Secretaries to head departments of worth.
Intolerance Towards Deceits
He was not a man to be taken for granted by the civil servants nor was he a political executive who could be fooled by any officer.
Once while at a press meet Biju Babu was releasing the new industrial policy for the state, replacing the older one made by J B Patnaik, a reporter got up and told Biju babu that, the policy was nothing but an imitation of the old policy with the name of CM changed only.
Biju Babu summoned for the old policy to find that, the reporter was right and the new policy on Industry made to appear as new was nothing but, copy of the old policy.
A frowned Biju Patnaik, in a huff, left the press meet apologising to the reporters. Which left the lady officer dumbstruck and she was subsequently, the same day, shifted to an insignificant department.
Yet again in 1991, Biju babu was hosting the Eastern Zonal Council meeting in which Lalu Prasad Yadav was participant. Jyoti Basu was conspicious by his absence. Biju babu looked and enquired why the WB CM was not present. Some one told him in the ear. Then he said, “ the bourgeois chief minister is holidaying in London”.
Then at the press meet Biju babu noticed quite a number of men in security uniforms and he asked the deputy who were they? Being told that, they were the securities for Lalu Yadav, pat he said ‘ who knows Lalu here’. Sitting next to him was Lalu, Biju leaned at him and said, ‘ Lalu, kyun tum ye sab lekar chalte ho, yahan koi nahi marega tumhe, yahan tumhe koi jaantaa hi nahi’ Lalu was simply smiling back.
That was the quantity known as Biju Patnaik, who has left many indelible footprints in the soils of Odisha and in politics as well. Happy birthday to the legend.
