Who is minister Pratap Chandra Sarangi? Why is the liberal media so annoyed of him?

PM Modi’s new cabinet surely had some surprise elements in it for many; however, those who know the working style of Narendra Modi were not surprised at all. PM Modi’s Council of Ministers features individuals with multidimensional professional and political experiences from senior politicians to ex-diplomats. Featuring the list is also Pratap Chandra Sarangi. A firebrand BJP leader from Odisha, Pratap Sarangi represents the Balasore Parliamentary constituency. Pratap Sarangi, also known as the ‘Modi of Odisha’, took over the social media by storm after he joined Modi’s Council of Ministers.

Born on 4th of January 1955 in Gopinathpur a village near Nilgiri in Odisha, he has been a member of Odisha state assembly in 2004 as a member of BJP and in 2009 as an independent candidate from Nilgiri assembly constituency. In 2019 general elections Pratap  Sarangi defeated BJD’s Rabindra Kumar Jena in a closely fought electoral battle. Fondly called ‘Nana‘ and revered like an older brother, he was the state president of Bajrang Dal. In the Eighties, he had started many Ekal Vidyalayas (village schools with a single local teacher) in the interiors of the state. These single-teacher schools, which take in students up to Class III or V, are run by the educated youth of the concerned villages. The teachers’ salary is collected by the villagers.

Old RSS man Pratap Sarangi has also been working proactively on various social issues in the region, he had even used his salary funds during his tenure as a member of Odisha Assembly for social projects for tribal kids in the region. Known to travel on a bicycle Pratap Sarangi is also famous for hiring an auto rickshaw for the purposes for election campaigning. Pratap Sarangi has been given responsibility in the Ministry of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries and the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises as Minister of State.

At one end, as the nation appreciates Pratap Sarangi’s humble roots and his contribution to society, the left-liberal gang has acquired a new target. His association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has also further prompted the left-liberals to come out of their ivory towers to pass universal judgments against this Member of Parliament. The left-liberal gang has been called out a number of times for their meek and denigrating attempts against PM Modi and virtually anyone who supports a firm nationalistic ideology. RSS has also been a victim of this left-liberal hypocrisy and Pratap Sarangi’s association with the RSS has just triggered another meltdown in the so-called custodians of truth.

Discredited and controversial journalist Rana Ayyub in her tweet had also taken aim at Pratap Sarangi. She tweeted, “New Union Minister in Modi’s cabinet, Pratap Sarangi was Bajrang Dal chief when missionary Graham Staines and his children were burnt alive. Sarangi propagated the evil designs of the Catholic church and instigated the attacks.”

“Mr. Modi’s Union minister #PratapSarangi was also arrested on charges of rioting, arson, assault and damaging government property after a 2002 attack on the Orissa state assembly by Hindu rightwing groups, including the Bajrang Dal.”

Another controversial journalist Nikhil Wagle also joined the train to defame Balasore MP, Pratap Chandra Sarangi.

Ashok Swain, staying with his skewed ideological agenda, also joined in to further defame Pratap Sarangi. He tweeted, “Dara Singh of Bajrang Dal had burnt alive Graham Staine & his two minor sons in 1999 in the middle of night while they were sleeping inside a Jeep- His coordinator was Pratap Sarangi, who is now Modi’s only minister from Odisha!”

https://twitter.com/ashoswai/status/1134345051331600384

Other left-leaning portals like The Wire, National Herald and others also joined this trend by publishing similar defamatory articles against Pratap Chandra Sarangi. Local politics had led to the Pratap Sarangi’s name being linked to the murder of Graham Staines however these have just been allegations with no solid proof to have ever discovered even after two long decades since the horrific incident.

There is no doubt of the fact that Pratap Sarangi has been the latest target of the left-liberals. Their allegations of him being involved in the murder of Graham Staines and his children is absolutely false. Sarangi might be a known critic of anti conversion activities in Odisha but that does not in any way link him to the death of Staines and his children. 

The left-liberal gang, even after failing perpetually in similar defamatory attempts against PM Narendra Modi, UP CM Yogi Adityanath, Bhopal MP Shadhvi Pragya, now have taken aim at Pratap Chandra Sarangi. The more left-liberal gang abuses and denigrates people like Pratap Sarangi, more people are poised to get to know them above the leftist propaganda. Their continuous attacks on Sarangi will only help him in getting mass support. If Pratap Sarangi emerges as a future face for Odisha CM, the credit will surely be partly due to the left-liberal gang.