My Simplicity Should Not Be Mistaken For Weakness, Warns Odisha CM Mohan Majhi

Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday sent out a stern message to detractors and vested interests, cautioning that his simplicity should not be mistaken for weakness. Reaffirming his government’s ‘zero-tolerance’ policy towards corruption, the Chief Minister vowed to bring to justice those involved in graft, nepotism, and misuse of power, irrespective of their stature.

Majhi, a grassroots tribal leader who began his political journey as a sarpanch in Keonjhar district, was sworn in as the state’s Chief Minister on June 12, 2024. Addressing a press conference on the eve of his government’s first anniversary, the BJP leader minced no words in holding the previous dispensation accountable for alleged large-scale irregularities.

“I started my career as a sarpanch and went on to be elected to the Odisha Legislative Assembly four times. I have witnessed people’s struggles at the grassroots and closely observed the functioning of successive governments,” Majhi remarked.

“The previous regime’s tenure was marred by scandals — from the infamous chit fund scam to rampant mining irregularities and systemic corruption. We are actively gathering evidence and will ensure that those responsible, be they officials or politicians, are brought to book.”

In what many political observers perceived as a veiled but unmistakable warning to a section of senior bureaucrats and certain leaders of the BJD which ruled the state from 2000 to 2004, Majhi reiterated his resolve to cleanse the administration.

“I am a tribal who believes in righteousness and honesty. My simplicity must not be misread as weakness,” he declared.

Citing the recent arrest of an IAS officer caught red-handed while accepting a bribe from a businessman, the Chief Minister asserted, “No one — from peons to senior IAS officers — will be spared if found guilty of corruption.”

Since the BJP assumed power under Majhi’s leadership last year, over 50 Class I and Class II officers have been arrested on charges of graft, signaling a marked departure from the state’s political past.

Highlighting his government’s unwavering commitment to clean, transparent, and accountable governance, Majhi said that comprehensive efforts are underway to dismantle entrenched networks of corruption and ensure that public services reach every citizen without discrimination or middlemen.

“As we mark the first anniversary of our government, I want to assure the people of Odisha that a new era of ‘sushasan’ (good governance) has begun. Our fight against corruption is uncompromising, and every government initiative will be implemented with integrity, ensuring it benefits the common man,” the Chief Minister concluded.