Jajpur: Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Sunday assured the public that his government would reopen the mysterious death case of Smitarani Biswal, a panchayat executive officer from Dharmasala block of this district. He said this while addressing a meeting at Barchana in this district, Sunday. The CM announced plans for a thorough investigation into the mysterious death of Smitarani Biswal, a panchayat executive officer from Dharmasala block. He expressed concerns that she was allegedly “used and murdered” by low-profile BJD leaders and questioned whether this was the kind of respect BJD was paying to women. Majhi assured the public that his government would thoroughly investigate the case at the request of Smitarani’s husband, emphasising a zero-tolerance policy for crimes against women. “The investigation will be conducted with utmost transparency, and no stone will be left unturned,” he promised, also pledging to ensure the safety and security of women across the state. Majhi, who took part in a BJP membership drive in this district, alleged that the previous BJD government was involved in large-scale irregularities disguised as development efforts.
“Instead of developing the state, the BJD government has been building its vote bank for their own interests,” he said. Targeting the leader of the Opposition, Majhi alleged that Naveen Patnaik did not visit the CM’s grievance cell in the last 16 years. “People who came to the grievance cell were disappointed not to meet the CM even once,” Majhi remarked. Claiming to have met over 1 lakh people within five days of taking office June 12, Majhi criticised Patnaik for avoiding direct interaction with the public. He recounted an encounter with an elderly woman at the grievance cell who expressed her gratitude for being able to meet him, saying it had been a dream for common people to have such access during the BJD’s tenure. Majhi emphasised that he leads a “people’s government,” prioritising direct communication with citizens, which he argued was not possible under the previous administration. “My ministers and I sometimes skip lunch to meet those who come to the grievance cell from every corner of the state,” he said.
Without naming them, Majhi criticised three BJD leaders, claiming that they had exploited the area in the name of development and failed to deliver justice to the local populace. He pointed out that despite Jajpur’s wealth in mines and minerals, people had not seen any real development.