PARADIP: Days after a faulty statue of former chief minister of Odisha Nabakrushna Choudhury in Angul town created ripples across the state, the idols of former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and former CM Biju Patnaik were found dumped at Atharbanki in Paradip on Thursday night. The incident led to outrage among locals as both Nehru and Biju Babu were instrumental in setting up the Paradip Port.
Sources said the statues were installed on the roof of a three-story building of the fishing business centre at Atharbanki by the former president of Kalinga Karnadhar Fishermen Cooperative Society, late Sankhnad Behera. The building was allotted to Paradip Port Authority in 1997-98 and the statues of the leaders, constructed on boats, were unveiled by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on January 3, 2003. The idols were allegedly desecrated by some fishermen on Thursday night and dumped nearby.
Secretary of the society, Aleka Tarai said the statues were lying in a dilapidated condition and were taken down for renovation of the fishing business centre building. The concrete boat structure installed on the roof posed a risk to the building and hence the statues were removed. “After the building is renovated, new statues will be installed on it,” he said.
However, the president of Paradip Youth Voice Satya Mohanty said the statues should have been removed properly and immersed. “It is an insult to the founders of Paradip Port and stern action should be taken against the culprits,” he said.
Paradip municipality chairman Basant Kumar said he had visited the spot. He said the building has been rented out and remains locked.