BHUBANESWAR : In a move that has ruffled feathers in state politics, the BJP government on Monday announced that March 5, the birthday of former chief minister Biju Patnaik, will not be celebrated as Panchayati Raj Divas from this year.
The Panchayati Raj Divas will be observed on April 24 in line with the National Panchayati Raj Day.
The Mohan Majhi government has also scrapped the state holiday on March 5, though it has announced that the birth anniversary of Biju Patnaik will be observed at all levels with pomp and ceremony.
The chief minister’s office said the National Panchayati Raj Day is celebrated on April 24. On the day, panchayat representatives from different states are given awards like the Rashtriya Gaurav Gram Sabha Award and the Mahatma Gandhi Assured Employment Scheme Award.
“The decision has been taken to avoid overlapping of government programmes on these two dates. The government has decided to celebrate March 5 as the birth anniversary of Biju Patnaik, a great son of Odisha, in a grand manner,” a release from the CMO stated.
The Opposition BJD and Congress, however, attacked the government over the decision to observe Panchayati Raj Divas on April 24.
Addressing a media conference here, BJD leaders Debi Mishra and Sanjay Dasburma said Biju Patnaik’s birthday has been celebrated as the Panchayati Raj Divas for the last 32 years in recognition of his contribution to strengthening panchayat institutions. After Biju Patnaik became the chief minister for the second time in 1990, he introduced the three-tier panchayat system in the state.
“Because of the initiative taken by Biju Babu gram panchayat, panchayat samiti and zilla parishad system was introduced in Odisha and laws were enacted accordingly. The BJP government has shown great disrespect to Biju Babu by not celebrating Panchayati Raj Divas on March 5,” they alleged.
Congress legislature party leader Rama Chandra Kadam also supported the BJD on the issue saying Panchayati Raj Divas should be observed on March 5 as per custom. “In fact, after the Congress returned to power in 1995 under JB Patnaik, the celebration had continued,” he said.
However, BJP MLA Amar Nayak defended the state government and said that no disrespect has been shown to Biju Patnaik. In fact, the BJP government has shown respect to many great persons like Godabarish Mohapatra, Madho Singh and others by launching schemes in their name, he said.