BHUBANESWAR: BJD supremo and former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Thursday alleged that efforts are being made to change history by belittling the contribution and sacrifice of great sons of Odisha.
Addressing party leaders and workers at the 28th death anniversary celebrations of former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik at the Sankha Bhawan here, Naveen Patnaik spoke about how Biju Babu always took pride in being an Odia, and he aimed to make Odisha the best state in the country.
Stating that his government had taken a number of steps to realise the dreams of Biju Babu, the former Chief Minister said that a lot of good work was done in the 24 years between 2000 to 2004, during which BJD was in power in the state.
He said that during this period, Odisha got many recognitions for the good work done by the government at the national and international levels.
Expressing anguish over the manner in which some people are trying to belittle the sacrifice and contributions of great sons of the soil and trying to change history, the BJD president said that history is the manifestation of the collective experience of a nation in a particular period. No one can change that, he said and added that it will be good for the state if a new chapter of development can be added in Odisha’s history without wasting time.
The statement of the BJD president came following the burning of a statue of Biju Babu at Patnagarh in Balangir district.
Earlier in March, a statue of Biju Babu was vandalised at Mahanga in Cuttack district, while the colour of another statue at Cuttack was changed. Several senior leaders of the party were present during the function at the Sankha Niwas on Thursday.
Earlier in the day, the former Chief Minister had visited the Biju Patnaik park and paid floral tributes at the statue of Biju Babu.
President of the state unit of the BJP, Manmohan Samal, reacted to the statement of the BJD president, stating that the BJP has great respect for Biju Patnaik. Stating that he was a great son of the soil, Samal said that BJP leaders also paid tributes to him on his death anniversary. Patnaik’s remark is politically motivated and not expected from a five-time chief minister, he added.