CUTTACK: A paean praising Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik sung by BJD students’ wing state general secretary Abinash Mohanty at Baliyatra here on Wednesday, has come under criticism with Opposition BJP and Congress blaming the administration for using the historical fair as a political platform.
As per reports, a ‘Patha Utsav’ was organised by the district administration at the Baliyatra ground involving persons belonging to different walks of life on Wednesday morning, and that is when Mohanty walked on to the Akshay Mohanty Manch and sang the song ‘Hey Naveen Babu Ame Tuma Fan’.
Sources said, several senior officials of the district administration were present in front of the stage, but no one came forward and opposed it.
“Baliyatra is not a political platform for propagating any party’s propaganda. It is a matter of astonishment that how a BJD office bearer was able to sing the paean of Naveen Babu followed by BJD Zindabad slogans. Who gave permission and how far it is justified at the historic trade fair which is being celebrated commemorating the maritime history of Odisha,” questioned Barabati-Cuttack legislature Mohammed Moquim. The MLA said the district administration seems to be indulging in propagating the ruling BJD’s propaganda. The official who is in charge of holding the cultural programme should immediately beg apology otherwise the Congress will make it an issue, he added.
Echoing the same, president, city unit of BJP Lalatendu Badu too has condemned the incident. “The district administration should not use Baliyatra platform for politics. The Akshay Mohanty Manch at Baliyatra seems to have turned into a political pandal,” said Badu. Cuttack collector Bhabani Shankar Chayani refuted the allegations and said it is the choice of the singer to sing any song on the stage.