Bhubaneswar: Senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader and Athagarh MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain, popularly known as Raja Swain, has written a letter to party president Naveen Patnaik, calling for the BJD to realign itself with its core ideological values, particularly social justice and secularism.

In the letter, Swain raised concerns over what he described as the erosion of the party’s founding ideals, especially in addressing the needs of marginalized communities like SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities, and women. Despite making up nearly 94% of Odisha’s population, he pointed out that these groups continue to face systemic neglect, particularly the OBC community, which constitutes 54% of the population but has "0% reservation in education."

Swain linked the idea of social justice with broader themes like economic justice, women's empowerment, and secularism, urging the BJD to make it central to its political and policy agenda.

The MLA pointed out the economic and environmental exploitation of Odisha’s mineral-rich lands. Despite contributing about 50% of India’s mineral output, Swain said Odisha lags in human development indicators and suffers from pollution, deforestation, and displacement.

He accused elements within the administration of colluding with mining operators and ignoring Supreme Court orders issued in 2024 to impose cess and collect overdue taxes from mining companies. “Odisha is losing ₹2 lakh crore annually and has ₹1.5 lakh crore in pending dues,” he mentioned.

Swain also flagged the non-implementation of the PESA Act in the state, alleging that fake Gram Sabhas are being conducted to secure environmental clearances, undermining tribal rights.

He further criticized the central government for repeatedly ignoring Odisha’s demand for Special Category Status, despite its vulnerability to natural disasters and its substantial contribution to the nation’s economy. He termed this neglect another form of injustice.

To address these issues, Swain placed five key suggestions before the party leadership:

1. Conduct a caste census to guide equitable policy decisions.

2. Enforce the Supreme Court’s mining taxation orders and recover dues.

3. Implement the PESA Act to protect tribal rights.

4. Renew the push for Special Category Status for Odisha.

5. Ensure fair representation of SCs, STs, OBCs, minorities, and women within the party’s structure, from grassroots to top leadership.

He also referred to the recent unrest within the party over the Waqf Bill controversy, urging the leadership to take a clear stand on secularism and rebuild trust with the cadre.

“This is a moment to reclaim our ideological legacy,” Swain concluded, adding that only a firm commitment to social justice, secularism, and regional dignity would help the BJD uphold the people’s trust and legacy of Biju Patnaik.