She was the Advisor of the legendary leader Biju Patnaik on Tribal Affairs.

Former Chief Minister empowered her with Special Police powers to take on the bootleggers.

Biju Babu empowered the women with Special Police powers to handle the bootleggers and liquor mafias during early 90’s.

And now she faces several criminal cases for opposing the liquor mafias in her own area.

Meet Sumani Jhodia, a frail tribal woman with robust mind power to take on the mafias, who are forcing tribals to penury through their liquor.

Sumani came here to attend a workshop on International Women’s Day, while tathya.in snatched few moments to talk to the indomitable lady with great conviction.

In Mandabishi Panchayat of Kashipur block in Rayagada district, she has started war against the liquor mafias.

So at least 8 criminal cases have been filed against her and she is being dragged to Court of Law, revealed Sumani.

Sumani is in anguish over the callous attitude of the administration in curbing illegal liquor business in tribal areas of the district.

She alleged that the poorest of the poor are badly hit due to liquor spread and the rice, which is supposed to feedthe children are being sold away for a glass of liquor, lamented the former Tribal Advisor of Biju Babu.

She has another major grievance over non declaration of Jhodia community as Scheduled Tribe (ST).

For last 16 years she is running from pillar to post for the recognition.

Sumani vainly tried to meet the Governor Muralidhar Chandrakant Bhandare to present a memorandum in this regard.

While she belongs to Paraja Tribe, her surname is Jhodia.

Though she is a tribal, but caste certificate are not being issued in her favour and the community faces real hardship.

She said that even they went and met the then Vice President Bhairon Singh Sekhawat and former Union Tribal Minister Jual Oram to rectify the omission.

But nothing has happened during last 16 years of struggle for justice. 

When the issue was brought to the notice of Ashok Kumar Tripathy, Principal Secretary of the Department of ST & SC Development, he said that the Government of Odisha has sent the proposal for inclusion of Jhodia into ST list to Government of India since 2002.

There are at least 167 cases pending with the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, which had been send by the State Government and Jhodia issue is one of them.

Government of India has made no interim query in case of Jhodia community to be included in ST List.

Then in 2008, it was once again reminded by the Department of St & SC Development to include Jhodia community in ST List.

Again in 2009 former Chief Secretary Ajit Kumar Tripathy wrote to Gautam Buddha Mukharjee, Secretary Tribal Affairs in this regard.

But there is no response from the Centre, lamented Mr.Tripathy.

With the Supreme Court of India judgment in the case of Nityananda Sharma vs State of Bihar in 1996, the Apex Court said that it is for the Parliament to enact the law and the schedule and include or exclude from the Schedule a tribal or tribal community for the State, District or Region and its declaration is conclusive.

So the hands of the State Government is tight, said an official.

Once the State Government sends the proposal to Centre, they consult the Registrar General Census in this regard.

And consultations were done with the Commission concerned.

If every body agrees than the Parliament makes an amendment in the Schedule to include or exclude the same.

After that a Presidential Order comes into force, said he.

So it seems Sumani and her community will have to wait for some more time, till the process takes a logical end, said the officer.