Odisha governor Raghubar Das invited more than 100 journalists to the Raj Bhavan on Saturday and interacted with them on political, economic and socio-cultural issues.

No other governor before Das had ever invited such a large number of journalists to the Raj Bhavan. The scribes used to visit the Raj Bhavan only to cover the swearing-in ceremony of the chief minister and other ministers or when important dignitaries such as the Prime Minister and President visited the state and stayed at the Raj Bhavan.

Das, who was the chief minister of Jharkhand a few years ago, still appears to be taking an active interest in politics. Ever since taking oath as the governor of Odisha, Das’s moves have raised eyebrows. He broke protocol to visit Naveen Niwas to extend Diwali greetings to the chief minister. This invited criticism from the Congress. However, both the BJP and BJD defended his action.

However, BJD leaders felt awkward when the governor started meeting ordinary people during his visits to various areas and raising their problems with the state government. His act of breaking protocol and meeting people did not go down well with the BJD leadership. Everywhere he assured people that he would take up their problems with the authorities and even started writing letters to the state government on various issues.

Interacting with the journalists on Saturday, Das said: “I have so far visited 17 out of 30 districts of the state and met a number of people from various walks of life.”

Das said that he wanted to meet journalists to extend them New Year and Makar Sankranti greetings.

On what issues he came across while meeting people in the course of his district tours, the governor said: “ It’s the same issues that you have been writing as journalists. Whatever you are writing in your papers, I have noticed the same.”

Asked whether his district visits and interaction with the people just ahead of the elections won’t create a rift between the government and the Raj Bhavan, Das said: “I have taken an oath under the Constitution to look after the welfare of the people and raise the issue affecting them. Under the ambit of the Constitution, I will take up these issues with the state and the Centre so that these issues are addressed.”

Maintaining that his aim behind interacting with the people is to bring about a change in their mindset, he said: “Logon ki soch ko badalna hai.”

The governor said: “The people of Odisha are good but they are satisfied with the small things. We need to raise their aspiration level.”