Nandini Satpathy and the New Grammar of Odisha Politics
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ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review he politics of Odisha since independence has elections were held for the first time. The Anchal Tgone through several transitory phases and Sasan Act was adopted with a view to streamlining led a “paradigm shift” after a “crisis stint”. But the revenue administration of the State. This was a contemporary Odishan politics already manifests revolutionary measure for the transfer of power itself into a democratic transformation and political to the hands of the common man. Transport was maturity. It follows by a number of welfare nationalized for the purpose of better management measures, social security policies, and inclusive and administration. The Five Year Planning was growth. The biggest achievement of the started in the country from 1952 and Odisha also present Odishan politics is political stability, introduced development planning. Community restoration of law and order and efficiency Development Projects started operating from in administrative management. Obviously, the October 2, 1952. Steps were taken for the rapid Odia people learnt many things from the politics industrialization of the State by generating of 1970s Odisha which was simmered with a lot electricity from Duduma and Hirakud. of unprecedented political crises such as mass political defection, unstable governments, Nandini Satpathy and the New Grammar of Odisha Politics Kamalakanta Roul president’s rule, coalition politics, factionalism and The second phase of Odishan politics was political infightings. the phase of unprecedented political crisis. The rise of Nandini Sapathy (1931-2006) as first But the first era of Odishan politics from female leader in Odishan politics was not all of 1950-57 was an era of development and sudden but inevitable. Her appearance was transformation. Mostly the era was headed by politically contextual and cropping of the time. Her former Chief Minister Naba Krushna Chaudhury. stint showed another phase of development era: It was during this time that the construction work 1972-76. She restored the foundation of of multi-purpose Hirakud Project, Muchkund progressivism, subalternism and feminism in Electricity Project and Rourkela Steel Plant were Odishan politics followed the political legacy of inaugurated. The Zamindari Abolition Act was Naba Krushna Chaudhury. Nandini was young adopted and steps were taken for abolition of and dynamic who was also known as “Agni the system, the Orissa Gram Panchayat Act was Kanya” (daughter of fire). In her entire lifespan, adopted during the period and Panchayat Nandini nurtured her political ideology through 16 DECEMBER - 2017 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 three major ideological apparatuses: Gandhism, in jail. Though she got her first political lessons communism and feminism. Nandini was also from her uncle, the late Bhagawati Charan imbibed the literary value from her family. She Panigrahi, founder of the Communist party in firmly stood against feudalism and bureaucratic Odisha, Mrs Satpathy has an intensely religious democracy. She opposed a prayer song of her bent of mind. She and her husband, Debendra school when she was in class one. The prayer Satpathy, were devout Aurobindoites. was as follows: “Ehi mora janmabhumi ehi Nandini, as a Chief Minister delivered maharaja, janme janme karuthibi e duhinka puja” service to the downtrodden and managed a sweet (this is my motherland and there is the great king, link between administration and development. in every birth of my life I would worship both of She broke the bureaucratic egoism in Odisha them). As a school child Nandini took active part Secretariat. The Indian Civil Servants were called in Quit India Movement. She learnt spinning and as “sir” by cabinet ministers. She sharply reacted made clothes for herself during her school days. that how the people’s representatives could be She came to the politics through student activism. insulted and underestimated by “clerical staffs” in Nandini while pursuing MA in Ravenshaw College a liberal democracy. She also changed the culture joined in ‘Students’ Federation’, the student wing of allotting big bungalows to civil servants and of the Communist Party. She was elected as smaller one to ministers. She used to say, Student Union’s president of Ravenshaw College. “baadeile malaa, na baadeile amalaa” (officers By the time she was inspired by communism and need to be shown their limitation, otherwise they established herself as a firebrand student leader would be dictator”. Nandini Satpathy attempted at state level. In 1951, there was a student to resist Indira Gandhi’s policies during movement in Odisha against the rising cost of the Emergency and she also opposed the college education. Nandini took the leadership proclamation of national emergency. and while protesting, she was lathi charged by the police. The movement later developed into a A United Front Government was formed national youth movement. She along with many under the leadership of an independent non- other student leaders was jailed. member, Biswanath Das in April, 1971. In June 1972 ten members of the Swatantra Party led by Daughter of a noted Odia writer and poet, Shri Gangadhar Pradhan resigned from their party Kalindi Charan Panigrahi, Mrs Satpathy wields a and withdrew their support from the Coalition. powerful pen and is an equally powerful speaker Subsequently, all the 32 members of Utkal in Odia. Her short stories have already been Congress decided to join the Congress Party. The translated into several languages. She joined coalition government of Biswanath Das was Congress party and became the President of dissolved and a Congress Ministry under the Women Forum. She met Indira Gandhi in leadership of Mrs. Nandini Satpathy came to Chennai during the annual meeting of Congress power on June 14, 1972. Mrs. Satpathy resigned party and then they became close to each other. her office of Minister of State in the Union Ministry Mrs Nandini Satpathy who came to the Congress of Information and Broad-casting and was via the Student Federation had spent several years formally elected leader of Congress Party. DECEMBER - 2017 17 ISSN 0970-8669 Odisha Review Mrs. Satpathy had to quit office on and the students belonging to weaker sections of March 1, 1973 and the State came under the spell the society. Book Banks were established as a of President’s Rule on the 3rd March, 1973 for matter of policy in many schools and colleges, the third time which continued in operation till the more scholarships and stipends were instituted 6th March, 1974. The mid-term election held in for the poor and meritorious students many of February, 1974. On the 1st of March when Mrs. whom also got the advantage of free supply of Satpathy resigned, the Odisha Legislative books, note-books and papers. The primary Assembly was in the midst of its budget session school teachers were recruited and were given and was scheduled to meet at 8am. On the same revised pay scale. Nandini government was day, the Assembly had to pass the Appropriation instrumental in bringing numerous social reforms Bill. The Congress was reduced to minority on and several legal and administrative measures the floor of the House. In the mid-term election against social evils. Dowry Abolition Act was held in February, 1974 no party could secure adopted as a measure of social reform. majority; it was an uncertain mandate, but Prostitution was declared as a legal offence and Congress emerged as the single largest party with abortions were legalized. Restrictions were 69 seats. A Congress Ministry headed by Mrs. imposed on production and sale of narcotic drugs Satpathy was sworn in on March 6, 1974, with and pills in order to save the young men from the support of the Communist Party. their impact. A system of pension was introduced for the old and helpless as a measure of social Nandini government tried to reach out the marginalized sections: Adivasis, Dalits, poor and security familiar to the concept of Welfare State. women. She ran her government from the below. The Government had increased Bus fares and had The Indira government announced 20-point reintroduced land revenue, though road cess was economic programme in June, 1975 in the context decreased. A system of levy was introduced in of the proclamation of National Emergency. 1974 on paddy which was not a successful Nandini government had already, in the measure of policy. Though a target was fixed for meanwhile, initiated many of the programmes procurement of paddy the target could not be included in the 20-point economic programme. reached due to the failure of the system of levy The Government had provided land to the landless and there was the verdict of the Orissa High Court poor. Dalits and Adivasis were primarily the focus that Levy was not legal. Again in 1976, of development. Tribal development works Government had promulgated an Ordinance for started in Koraput, Kalahandi, Dhenkanal and procurement of paddy and rice by introduction Mayurbhanj. The Odisha Money Lender’s Act of the system of Levy. Nandini had differences was modified to make the villagers free from the with the Governor because of which Akbar Ali clutches of money-lenders. The Government had Khan was the first Governor since independence fixed minimum wages for the daily labourers, to resign his office and to go away. Nandini wage-earners and workers. Forced labour in the Satpathy tendered resignation on December 16, shape of Bethi and Gothi was abolished by the 1976 and President’s Rule was proclaimed in Government. Several novel measures were Odisha for the fourth time. Internal dissensions adopted for the poor and meritorious students within the party forced Nandini to quit. 18 DECEMBER - 2017 Odisha Review ISSN 0970-8669 In a brief statement to the Press, Nandini follows: “Nandini Satpathy bhari chaturi, chaaula appealed to the people to maintain peace and kilo tanke saturi” (Nandini Satpathy is very clever declared her readiness to be guided by the Prime who makes rice so cheap available at Rs.1.70)”.