JEYPORE: The new statue of Sahid Laxman Nayak installed near Municipality complex in Jeypore on Wednesday has evoked strong criticism from the various quarters. In the statue Laxman Nayak is seen wearing a shirt and dhoti.
Thirty years ago, Koraput district administration had installed Nayak’s statue at the same place which was built by local artists taking historical facts and research on the freedom fighter into consideration. However, two months back, Jeypore Municipality began redevelopment of the area and accordingly ordered a new statue of the freedom fighter .
“When did Laxman Nayak wear a T-shirt and a dhoti? The officials are distorting historical facts. He used to wear tribal clothes as per tradition,” said social worker Santakar questioning the reason and logic behind the ‘modern look’ of the son of the soil. “If this is modernity, it humiliates the tribal freedom fighter of the state,” said former vice-chairman of Jeypore municipality Surya Naryan Rath demanding to once again set up the original statue.
Senior artist of Jeypore Dhiren Patnaik welcomed the renovation decision but expressed dissatisfaction with the modern look of Nayak. “We should be more careful when we are changing the legends’ statues,” he rued.
Jeypore municipality EO Sidharth Nayak justifying the installation of new statue said that the portrait seems perfect. “The condition of old statue was bad and the new statue has been appreciated by many people including senior officials,” Patnaik added.