Odisha MP Reiterates Demand To Confer Bharat Ratna On Biju Patnaik In Rajya Sabha

New Delhi/Bhubaneswar: Biju Janata Dal (BJD) MP Amar Patnaik on Friday gave a Zero Hour Notice in Rajya Sabha over the demand to confer Bharat Ratna on former Chief Minister of Odisha late Biju Patnaik.

Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu, however, had to adjourn the House till 11am on March 11, following uproar by the Opposition.

It was for the fifth consecutive day that the Rajya Sabha failed to transact any business with the Opposition continuing its protest, demanding a debate on the Delhi riots.

Congress MPs Ghulam Nabi Azad and Anand Sharma had given Suspension of Business Notice in Rajya Sabha over ‘need to provide relief to riot-affected families in Delhi and setting up of an independent inquiry commission’.

The BJD had long been demanding Bharat Ratna for the legendary leader of Odisha.

During the debate on Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Bill, 2019, in August last year, BJD MP Pinaki Mishra had recalled the contribution of the former Chief Minister, who had played a significant role in saving Kashmir from the intruders, and hoped that the present government would “rectify the error and confer the honour on Biju Babu.”

On his 104th birth anniversary on Thursday, sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik though his beautiful sand art on the golden beach of Puri had reiterated the long-standing demand to accord the statesman with Bharat Ratna.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had also shared a document from the pages of history (dated 1945), which gives a glimpse of Biju Patnaik’s courage and excellence.