BHUBANESWAR: Amidst the raging controversy over the change in the date of celebration of Panchayati Raj Diwas from March 5 to April 24, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Tuesday invited leader of the Opposition (LoP) and BJD president Naveen Patnaik to attend the state-level function to be organised by the Odisha government in memory of Biju Patnaik.
The CM wrote to the LoP, inviting him to join as a ‘distinguished guest’ at the state-level event at Jayadev Bhavan to celebrate the legendary leader’s birth anniversary on March 5 which was earlier observed as Panchayati Raj Diwas.
“The state government will be celebrating the birth anniversary of Biju Patnaik, a great son of Odisha, on March 5. A state-level event is being organised at Jayadev Bhavan from 7 pm to celebrate the legendary leader. I would request you to grace the occasion as a distinguished guest,” the CM wrote.
Meanwhile, the BJD too decided to celebrate the birth anniversary of Biju Patnaik across the state on the day in a grand manner. Party president Naveen along with several senior leaders will attend a state - level function at Sankha Bhawan, the party headquarters of BJD here. The former chief minister will also address party leaders and workers at the function.
The state has been celebrating Panchayati Raj Diwas on March 5, marking the birth anniversary of Biju Patnaik, regarded as a pioneer in implementing the panchayati raj system in the country for more than last three decades.
Meanwhile, with the government deciding to celebrate Panchayati Raj Diwas on April 24 instead of March 5, the School and Mass Education and Higher Education departments cancelled Wednesday as a holiday. Both the departments notified that schools and colleges running under them will remain open on the day.
The Revenue and Disaster Management and other departments also issued a similar notification asking their officials and field functionaries to remain on duty.