Bhubaneswar: After being attacked by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for not having a statue of Biju Patnaik at Sankha Bhawan, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday announced plan to install a statue of the legendary leader at the party headquarters in Bhubaneswar.
BJD’s response came days after Panchayati Raj Minister Rabi Narayan Naik lashed out at the regional party for doing politics in the name of Biju Patnaik but not having his statue at its headquarters here.
Senior BJD leader and former Minister Snehangini Chhuria told reporters that the party has been according immense respect to Biju Babu, and there is a plan to install a gigantic statue of the tall leader Sankha Bhawan in Bhubaneswar.
Describing Biju Patnaik as their idol, she said Biju Patnaik’s statues were installed in every district during the party rule in the state. “We have plans to install a huge statue of Biju Babu at Sankha Bhawan,” Chhuria said.
Notably, Minister Rabi Naik had recently slammed BJD and sought to know as to why there is no statue of Biju Babu at Sankha Bhawan. “Those who are making such tall claims do not have a statue at their office,” he had said.
The controversy began after the BJP government changed the date of Panchayati Raj Diwas celebration to April 24 instead of March 5, Biju Patnaik’s birth anniversary.
“While National Panchayati Raj Diwas is being observed across the country on April 24, how can Odisha deviate from this? We should not fix another date to observe the Day,” Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari had said.
BJD had launched a state-wide protest on March 6 against the government’s move.
