Man sets Biju Patnaik statue on fire in Odisha’s Bolangir, one arrested
Odiisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi said the state government believes in paying respect to all legendary leaders of the state
Bhubaneswar: A statue of former Odisha chief minister Biju Patnaik was set ablaze in Bolangir district’s Patnagarh town on Tuesday, drawing strong condemnation from the opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) as well as the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Patnagarh sub divisional police officer Sadanand Pujari said police personnel extinguished the fire and arrested a man, suspected to be living with a mental illness, for damaging the statue installed by former Patnagarh lawmaker Saroj Kumar Meher.
“The investigation, so far, has found no political link behind the incident. Probe is on,” he said.
Chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi strongly condemned the incident and said the police have been ordered to take strict action in the matter.
“The state government believes in paying respect to all legendary leaders of the state and has been taking all steps for their honour,” the chief minister said in a statement, recalling that Biju Patnaik’s birth anniversary was recently celebrated at state level on March 5 with great enthusiasm. “Biju Babu’s death anniversary will also be observed on April 17,” he announced.
The CM’s statement came after BJD accused the ruling BJP for the incident
In a post on X, BJD MP Sasmit Patra said setting ablaze the statue in Patnagarh was a despicable and vile assault on the very ethos of Odisha.
“This is not just an act of vandalism ; it is a cowardly, calculated attempt to tarnish the legacy of a towering statesman who shaped the destiny of our state. Just days ago, another statue of Biju Babu was barbarically beheaded ; proof of a disturbing, hate-fueled political agenda that is poisoning the fabric of Odisha. This wave of disrespect and venom directed at Biju Babu is intolerable, and the people of Odisha will never forget, nor forgive such depravity.” he said in the post.
The incident comes against the backdrop of some opposition to the installation of the statue when Saroj Kumar Meher first tried to install the statue. Members of the Brahmin community had demanded that a statue of Lord Parashurama be installed at the spot instead.