Odisha’s hothead BJD lawmaker humiliates headmaster

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack/Nischintkoili, Jan 31:

BJD spokesperson, Mahanga legislator and former Odisha School and Mass Education minister Pratap Jena is again in news for wrong reasons.

The lawmaker, who had courted controversies in the past for misbehaving with the dalits, journalists and even pouncing on their cameras, has again failed to put brakes on his temper as he humiliated the headmaster of Gadijang Kalinga Model High School under Narendrapur panchayat in Nischintkoili block of the district over a trivial issue.

Jena was the chief guest on the occasion of closing ceremony of block-level inter-school football tourney at the school on Thursday and also inaugurated a new school building constructed at a cost of Rs 22 lakh.

As part of the programme, the MLA then walked towards the statue of late Biju Patnaik in the school premises to garland the legendary leader. He was offered three garlands to choose from to be put on the statue of the former chief minister. However, his anger went through the roof as he found the garlands marginally shorter in length than his expectations.

Unable to keep his calm over this, the fuming legislator humiliated the headmaster of the high school Bishnucharan Panda in front of the Block Educatoin Officer (BEO), teachers and scores of pupils among others and walked towards the school office in anger.

Jena went straight to the headmaster’s office and occupied the latter’s chair without offering the head of the school to sit. The ill-tempered people’s representative abused Panda and almost manhandled him for this petty issue. The headmaster received the vilifications with all humility without raising his voice.

Panda was pushed to the gallows with others being mute spectators to the incident.

Meanwhile, Panda, after this traumatic experience, has gone on a leave from Friday.

‘‘I am disturbed and traumatised after this incident. I cannot dare to protest against MLA’s misbehaviour. If you live in the water you cannot afford enmity with the crocodile. I am deeply hurt by the behavior of the senior officials, teachers and others that they did not revolt against the MLA’s misconduct,’’ a shattered Panda told OST.

If the teachers’ community puts weight behind him, then he would raise voice against the irascible legislator, Panda said.