CUTTACK: Mahanga is seething with resentment as son of soil and former Speaker of Odisha Assembly Sarat Kumar Kar was not accorded State honour after his demise.
At the condolence meeting in Mahanga block headquarters Kuanpal on Tuesday, speakers came down heavily on the State Government for the disrespect shown to the former Speaker, a close associate of Biju babu.
Kar passed away on Monday at the age of 81. He had tested positive for Covid-19. If the last rites of former minister and senior Congress leader Sk Matlub Ali was allowed at his native Ramakapur with full State honours, why was the same denied to Kar? speakers wondered at the memorial meeting. The former Speaker was a three-time member of the Odisa Assembly, and a Member of Parliament too.
On the day, president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee (OPCC) Niranjan Patnaik shot off a letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik seeking to know why Kar was not given proper homage and honour by the State.
“It is indeed a matter of disappointment and humiliation that the great soul was not given proper homage by the State Government,” he stated in the letter.
Even his cremation was not allowed at Puri’s Swargadwar despite Kar being a Jagannath devotee who wanted his final rites in the Lord’s land, the OPCC chief said.
“How could the administration dishonor?” he asked.A local Congress leader said it was matter of regret that not a single Government official came to pay floral respect to Kar’s mortal remains at Satyanagar crematorium.
“He was the youngest Cabinet Minister in Odisha’s political history. Being a former Speaker of Odisha Assembly, eminent writer and orator, was he not eligible for the respect?” asked leader of the local unit of Congress, Debendra Sahu at the condolence meeting in Mahanga on Wednesday. Kar was Speaker in Naveen Patnaik Government from 2000 to 2004.
Pipili legislator Pradeep Maharathy was cremated at Swargadwar with full State honour. But Kar was deprived of his last wish. Expressing his father’s last wish, Kar’s son had sought permission to cremate his body at Swargadwar but he was not allowed, Sahu added.
Leaders of Mahanga blamed local MLA and Panchayati Raj Pratap Jena. “Had he been interested, Kar could have received State honour,” said Rama Chandra Behera, a local leader.
Minister Jena could not be contacted for his comment on the issue but one of his close associates said the State honour could not be accorded due as it was already evening.
However, BJP leader Choudhury Pratap Keshari Mishra said Kar passed away at 2.20 pm and as per protocol, it was to be reported to Covid control room of BMC.
“Kar was not an ordinary person but the Government intentionally delayed and handed over his body to his family members at Satynagar crematorium in the evening. It’s a disrespect not only to Mahanga but also to the soul of such an eminent politician,” said Mishra.