Wikipedia photo.
Bhubaneswar: Union Tribal Affairs Minister Jual Oram has alleged that a campaign is being funded to defame him and to engineer his removal from the Union Cabinet, and has issued a strong warning to those behind the alleged conspiracy.
Speaking to The Indian Express on Friday, August 28, Oram said some people were spending money to run a smear campaign against him, believing that his removal from the Cabinet would create an opportunity for them. He did not name those he accused but alleged that some leaders who had joined the BJP from other parties were attempting to destabilise him.
Oram, who said he had built the BJP in Odisha through years of political work, warned that anyone attempting to damage his reputation would face a fierce response, saying he had the ability to “chop off the hands” of those targeting him. He also challenged his detractors to confront him politically rather than resort to alleged conspiracies.
His remarks came after he met BJP general secretary (organisation) Manas Mohanty and amid controversy involving Prakash Paswan, Oram’s representative, who was arrested by Rourkela police over allegations of harbouring criminals at the government-run Circuit House.
The BJP had suspended Paswan from the state executive committee of its Yuva Morcha on August 20. Oram subsequently acknowledged Paswan as an active worker and representative and called for an impartial investigation.
Oram said he had raised the alleged campaign with Mohanty and would approach the BJP’s central leadership if the matter was not resolved in Odisha.
A six-time Sundargarh MP, Oram first entered the Lok Sabha in 1998 and has served as Tribal Affairs Minister under both Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Narendra Modi.