BHUBANESWAR: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who turns 74 on Wednesday, has decided not to celebrate his birthday in view of the largescale devastation and suffering inflicted on the people by cyclone Fani, which hit Odisha on May 3.
Announcing his decision, the Chief Minister requested BJD leaders, workers and well wishers not to visit Naveen Nivas on the day to wish him, but go to orphanages and schools for the specially-abled children and serve them.
“Not only on my birthday, on all your special days like your birthday, birthday of your sons and daughters and marriage anniversary, go to these children and do something for them,” he said.
He advised his supporters to take their families and children with them whenever they visit orphanages and schools for physically challenged. “Children are our future. It will give me immense pleasure if you do something good for them,” he said.
“The people of Odisha are my family. I am indebted to them for the love they have showered on me. Their blessings are a great inspiration for me,” he said and appreciated BJD’s initiative to organise blood donation camps across Odisha under its ‘Jeevan Bindu’ programme on his birthday.
The Chief Minister had also not celebrated his birthday last year in view of the devastation caused by cyclone Titli and subsequent floods. Naveen has always kept his birthdays a low key affair during his two decade long political career. He had not celebrated his birthdays in 2013 and 2014 to express solidarity with the people affected by cyclones Phailin and Hud hud.
He had also not celebrated his birthday in 2016 as a mark of respect to the martyr jawans who laid down their lives fighting against terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir.