Bhubaneswar: A day after Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi stated that only one family was highlighted in the state for a long time, a slugfest erupted between the ruling BJP and the opposition BJD Friday over the manner in which great leaders of Odisha were treated by the previous government.
Majhi, while participating in the 125th birth anniversary function of freedom fighter Dr Harekrushna Mahatab in Deli, said, “For a long period, we were only engaged in recognizing the contributions of only one family. It happened in Odisha also. Now, in Odisha, we are ready to worship all our heroes who made significant contributions to the nation building”.
While BJP alleged that the previous government neglected great leaders including Mahatab, the BJD rejected the allegation and claimed that all legendary figures were given due importance.
Accusing the BJD government of neglecting Dr Mahatab, senior BJP leader and Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan alleged that the previous government had stopped celebrating his birth anniversary.
“It is unfortunate that the BJD government had stopped the state-level birth anniversary celebrations of Harekrushna Mahtab during the last two years,” Harichandan told reporters.
He alleged that the BJD government has consistently honoured former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik while neglecting other prominent figures during the BJD’s 24 years rule in the state.
“We will honour all the great sons of the soil including Dr Mahatab,” he said.
Senior BJD leader and former minister Debi Prasad Mishra rejected the minister’s allegations and said there should be no dispute over respecting the great leaders.
“There is no truth behind the allegations that BJD ignored other leaders,” Mishra said adding that the previous government had named certain schemes after the name of Utkal Gourab Madhusudan Das and Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das.
“Is not Biju Patnaik a great son of the soil? The previous government had respected all leaders including Biju Patnaik,” Mishra said lashing out at the new BJP government for changing the name of Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana (BSKY).
“If BJP wants to do something in the name of Dr Mahatab, they are free to go ahead, but should not change names of schemes like BSKY,” Mishra said.
PTI
