The air was charged with memories of his myriad feats, the mood one of pride for every living Oriya and reverential to boot. The release of `The Tall Man – Biju Patnaik’ was an apt occasion to reminisce the legend that was Biju Patnaik
Bhubaneswar: Describing former CM Biju Patnaik as a truly a tall man who never knew fear, former President Pranab Mukherjee said the former Orissa Chief Minister was the creater of modern Kalinga.
“He was the creator of modern Kalinga, modern Orissa. He was a dreamer. He dreamt high, dreamt deep and implemented this dreams with courage,” Mukherjee said here Saturday. Biju was the author of Nalco, which was established in Orissa in 1980, he said, adding the former CM had played an important role in establishing the plant as the then Union Steel Minister from that, industrialization started in the state. Describing himself a short man, the former President said he felt little apprehensive then he was invited for the book launch event.
‘The day I received the invitation from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to participate in the book launching programme, I felt self honored and as well as little apprehensive as a short man like me would speak of a truly tall man like Biju Patnaik.
Then, I remembered a fund of affections he had for me, which encouraged me to come here,” he said.
“Politically we were not on the same side a while, but mentally and on ideological principles and political analysis of the situations. We shared many common things,” he said. “I came to know him personally around the mid-1970s, when he came to the Rajya Sabha and at that time I was a Union minister in the Cabinet of Indira Gandhi.”
Sharing his experience with Biju, the former President said, “When I was the Union Minister of State for Finance, he gave me a couple of suggestions on how to augment revenue collection. He told Mr. Minister you never earn more revenue if the state of industrial development of this country remains slow.”
After his speech, Mukherjee said, he would like to know more from him, but could not meet immediately. “After several years, when I was the Deputy Planning Commission chairman (1991-96), he was the CM of Orissa and we were working coordinately. At that time, there was a demand from the CMs of various states for revision of the formula on the basis of which the resources have been distributed among the states and the Centre.” Biju helped him a lot to sort out the issue at that time, he remembered.
Menu comprises Oriya delicacies
Bhubaneswar: Topnotch political leaders of the country, who were in the city Saturday to attend a function to release the book on former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik were served lunch comprising pure Oriya dishes at Naveen Niwas, the residence of Chief Minister Naveen Palnaik.
Patnaik shared a picture of him having lunch with former President Pranab Mukherjee, former PM HD Deve Gowda, senior BJP leader LK Advani and senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury on his Twitter page.
Patnaik also shared details of their luncheon which Included popular Oriya food and delicacies such as ‘pakhala’, ‘piaja peetha’, ‘saga badi’ and drumstick fry. The famed ‘chhenapoda’ of Orissa, for which the state has planned to seek a geographical Indication (GI) tag, was also served as a dessert. Dishes were served on typical plantain leaves and bronze bowls to make the lunch special. “It was great pleasure to have enlightened company of Shri @CitiznMukherjee, Shri HD Deve Gowda, Shri LK Advani & Shri @SitaramYechury at Naveen Niwas. Had wonderful interaction over our much loved #Pakhala & Odia delicacies #PiajaPeetha #SagaBadi #Drumstickfry & famed #Chhenapoda,” Patnaik tweeted though his official twitter handle @Naveen_Odisha this afternoon.
Gathering of these top leaders around one table also created a flutter in the state’s political circle. Later, the leaders were seen sharing the stage at the book release event that was organised as part of the year-long programme to celebrate the birth centenary of legendary Biju Patnaik.
Country needs niti, not neta: Yechury
Bhubaneswar: Highlighting the thought and ideology of Biju Patnaik, CPI (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury Saturday said the country today needs niti (policy) not neta (leader). He recalled how he got inspiration from Biju Babu when he was a green horn in politics. The left leader also described Biju Patnaik as a great leader having certain ideology and pro-poor policies. “Biju Babu was working for secularism and national integration. It will be great honour for him if we walk on the path shown by him,” he stated.
Politicos of all hues attend book event
Bhubaneswar: Even though it was all of two hours only, the book release programme at Utkal Madap here brought under one roof leaders of major political parties of the state. Leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra, Congress MLA Prakash Behera, BJP leader and former Chief Minister Giridhar Gamang, BJP’s Biswa Bhusan Harichandan and Bijoy Mohapatra were also present at the occasion. BJD leaders and ministers including Shashibhusan Behera, Pradip Maharathy, SN Patro, Rajya Sabha MPs PK Deb, Anubhab Mohanty and Dilip Tirkey, among others attended the event.
Four national leaders such as former President Pranab Mukherjee, veteran BJP leader LK Advani, CPI (M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda graced the occasion and released the book titled ‘The Tall Man-Biju Patnaik’ – a pictorial biography of the former Chief Minister penned by Sundar Ganesan in presence of BJD supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Not only politicians, the event which the Biju Birth Centenary Committee termed as an apolitical event, was attended by eminent personalities, senior citizens, bureaucrats, intellectuals and students. Notably, none of the BJP’s current MLAs or the lone MP attended the event.
PNN
