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Bhubaneswar, Dec 22: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expelled senior minister Damodar Rout from his council of ministers, Friday. The decision was precipitated by a “casteist” remark Rout recently made.
“I strongly disapprove of anyone who makes derogatory remarks against any caste, creed or religion. I have dismissed Dr [Damodar] Rout from the Council of Ministers. A letter has been sent this evening to the Governor to accept this dismissal,” Naveen told reporters here.
Rout, who had been away in his constituency when the announcement of his expulsion was made, later said: “What’s the problem? Such things keep happening in politics.” According to one report, Rout claimed he was removed because he had refused to resign as directed.
Rout was holding the portfolios of agriculture and farmers’ empowerment, fisheries and animal resources development and public enterprises. The CM has reassigned his portfolios to other ministers. The public enterprises department has been assigned to finance and excise minister Shashi Bhusan Behera and agriculture and fisheries departments have been assigned to panchayati raj minister Pradeep Maharathy.
The Paradip MLA was in the eye of the storm after he commented during a function held in Malkangiri December 17 that tribals never begged even if they were faced with adverse situations, whereas Brahmins begged for alms if situations so compelled them to. The statement caused much resentment. Brahmins, who constitute about 9 per cent of the state’s population, staged protests across the state seeking the removal of Rout and an unconditional apology from him for making the comments.
Although Rout had tendered an apology for making the controversial remarks, the Chief Minister chose to overlook these and decided to remove him from ministership considering the fact that Rout was not a ‘first-time offender’. He had made similar controversial statements in the past, too. The MLA came under attack for his remarks about farmer suicides in the state and his refusal to visit the house of a farmer in Bargarh who had committed suicide.
The 75-year-old legislator, who is also the Biju Janata Dal vice-president, had found a place in all the four ministries headed by Naveen Patnaik; but he failed to complete full term as minister in all the tenures. He had earlier been asked thrice to resign for different reasons. This was the first time he was removed from the ministry.
Since 1979, Rout had been in charge of more than 15 different departments during his long political innings after he became MLA for the first time in 1977.
Both Congress and BJP have also reacted to Rout’s expulsion and have alleged that the move was taken by the BJD president and CM to safeguard political interests.
“The move has been made to retain the tribal and Brahmin votebanks,” Congress chief whip Taraparasad Bahinipati said.
BJP state unit vice-president Samir Mohanty, in turn, said; “The expulsion of Rout seems to be politically motivated. The action appears to be a move to save BJD’s face ahead of elections.”
Vedic Brahmin Parishad member Satya Narayan Tripathy, meanwhile, welcomed the decision and reiterated that Rout’s remark had hurt sentiments of people across state. He said the Chief Minister has maintained his clean image by sacking Rout.
