BHUBANESWAR: Leader of Opposition and BJD president Naveen Patnaik on Wednesday sought to clear the air on the controversy over ‘Biju Naveen Inspirational Foundation’ by clarifying that he had initiated the move for forming the trust in memory of his late father, which will be exclusively dedicated for charitable work.
Talking to mediapersons, the BJD chief said he had conceived the idea of establishing the trust prior to his neck surgery in June last year and had consulted legal and financial experts in Delhi on the matter. “The trust was started with a small sum of Rs 1 lakh from my own funds. None of this money came from BJD or any other political party,” he said, referring to some reports in this regard in the media.
“The trust is dedicated exclusively to charitable activities and has no connection with the BJD or any other political party,” he added.
The BJD president had undergone a successful spinal surgery for cervical arthritis on June 22, 2025, at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital in Mumbai.
The former chief minister said Biju Babu was also known for his philanthropic activities.
“At the young age of 30, he donated the Kalinga UNESCO prize in Paris for popularisation of science. He did many other good works in his lifetime,” Naveen said.
He also recalled the gesture of donating Anand Bhavan in Cuttack to the people of Odisha, underscoring the family’s tradition of public service and giving back.
The issue had come to light after BJP spokesperson Anil Biswal alleged concealment of facts in the election affidavit of BJD’s Rajya Sabha candidate Santrupt Misra, who is the secretary of the foundation. Expelled BJD leader Shreemayee Mishra had also raised the issue and alleged that the trust was formed surreptitiously to take control of the party’s assets and funds.
Shreemayee had questioned the creation of the trust outside Odisha if it was meant for the betterment of the people of the state. Former MLA Prabhat Biswal had also raised the issue after his expulsion from BJD last month for questioning the candidature of Misra for Rajya Sabha.