BARIPADA: Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Sudam Marndi, who in a meeting here on Wednesday, equated himself to Badam, the Goddess of Bathodi community and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik as Lord Jagannath, has kicked up a storm.
The Minister’s statement, which is being widely circulated on social media, has irked the servitors of Haribaldev Jew temple at Baripada and people from all walks of life.
Marndi, in a meeting on Wednesday had said the servitors who had set out on a padyatra from Baripada to Naveen Niwas in Bhubaneswar seeking fulfilment of their eight-point charter of demands, should have met him first. Marndi had said the padyatra by the servitors, which was called off later, has no meaning as they should put forth their grievances in front of Goddess Badam and then take it to Lord Jagannath.
The Bangiriposi legislator implied that the servitors should have met him first as he is their elected leader and if it is not taken care of, then take it to the Chief Minister. Servitors of Haribaldev Jew temple Kameswar Tripathy and Arun Mishra protested Marndi’s statement and said he will be punished by Lord Jagannath for this. Baripada MLA Prakash Soren too lashed out at the Minister and said he has become arrogant.
BJP district president Krushna Chandra Mohapatra termed Marndi’s statement as shameful. He said the demands of the servitors are justified and genuine and they had started the padyatra as the local leaders could not address the issues pertaining to the temple.
He said the servitors were assured by the Chief Minister that he will meet them after elections and it is now upto Marndi as their local representative, to resolve the issues. District Congress president Hemanta Das said Marndi, who has been a Minister in the BJD Government twice, has become arrogant.
He said the Minister’s failure to address the problems of the servitors and equating himself to Goddess Badam is unfortunate. JMM leader Kalinga Keshari Jena said such statement by a leader of Marndi’s stature is unfortunate and he is not fit to be a Minister. Meanwhile, despite repeated attempts, the Minister could not be contacted for his reaction on the issue.