Odisha CM decides to remove Biju Patnaik’s samadhi

Biju Janata Dal MP Pinaki Misra said Patnaik decided to dismantle the samadhi to give a boost to the ongoing beautification drive in Puri.

Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik has decided to remove a samadhi (memorial) of his father and former chief minister Biju Patnaik from Puri.

Biju Patnaik addresses a press conference in April 1992. (HT Photo/Santosh Gupta)

Biju Janata Dal MP Pinaki Misra said Patnaik decided to dismantle the samadhi to give a boost to the ongoing beautification drive in Puri.

The samadhi, built in 1997, took a large area of Swargadwar crematorium in Puri.

“Instead of an entire memorial, there will just a plaque mentioning Biju babu’s name in Swargadwar,” said BJD Rajya Sabha MP Amar Patnaik, a close aide of Naveen. While some party insiders were wary of the move, Naveen reportedly told the meeting that there is no need for a memorial as “Biju continues to live in the heart of Odiyas”.