Bhubaneswar: The principal opposition party BJD staged a protest against BJP government’s decision not to celebrate Panchayati Raj Day on March 5 and cancellation of public holiday.
Senior BJD leaders including Pranab Prakash Das, Sanjay Das Burma, Ashok Panda and Susant Kumar Rout along with party supporters staged a demonstration under the statue of Biju Patnaik at the airport here this evening.
Speaking to media persons here, senior BJD leader Pratap Jena said, “The decision to observe Panchayati Raj Diwas on April 24 in place of March 5 shows the BJP government’s narrow-mindedness. Panchayati Raj Diwas was being celebrated in Odisha on the birth anniversary of Biju Babu for the last three decades. We also celebrated Panchayati Raj Diwas on March 5 which is Biju Babu’s birth anniversary, during the tenure of the coalition government of BJD-BJP between 2000 and 2009.”
Jena also warned that the BJD would continue to raise the issue till the State government reconsiders its decision.
Senior BJD leader and Athagarh MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain said, “Don’t know who are the advisors of the BJP government who disrespected one of the legendary personalities of the country and world. Biju Babu’s dead body was adorned with the national flags of three countries, one is our Tricolour and the others were Russia and Indonesia during his cremation at Puri’s Swargadwar.”
Shri Swain further added that Biju Patnaik was not only confined to the boundaries of Odisha, but beyond it.
The senior legislator asserted that Biju Patnaik was also associated with the freedom struggle of the country.
Attacking the ruling BJP, Shri Swain said that “they are now having an identity crisis as they don’t have an iconic Odia leader to showcase to the people of the state.”
He alleged that the BJP was trying to belittle the image of Biju Patnaik, who was above all party politics.
The Congress party on the other hand supported the government on its decision to observe the Panchayati Raj Divas on April 24 in place of March 5.
State Congress president Bhakta Charan Das criticised the BJP government for declaring March 5, the birth anniversary of Biju Patnaik as a working day by cancelling the holiday. “Biju Babu was a close friend of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Why did the BJP government cancel the public holiday on March 5? Where does Odia Asmita now stand for,” asked Das.
While reacting to the BJD leaders’ statements, senior BJP leader and Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Suresh Pujari said Biju Patnaik is not the personal property of the BJD. He was an asset for the nation and the BJP government has decided to celebrate his birth anniversary in a big way, he said.
“We side with the Centre like any other states of the country and observe the Panchayati Raj Day on April 24 instead of March 5. Why should we deviate? When the entire country is celebrating Panchayati Raj Day on April 24, why should we celebrate on any other day?” Shri Pujari asked.
Shri Pujari also said that the Odisha Government will definitely pay homage to the legendary Biju Patnaik on March 5.