A day after senior BJD leader and Cuttack lok Sabha member Bhartruhari Mahtab termed noted poet Jayanta Mahapatra’s decision to return his Padmashree as “unfortunate” and “not right”, Minister Sanjay Dasburma on Monday praised the poet for his “historic” decision.
“I would like to thank the great Odia poet Jayanta Mahapatra for a historical decision,” said Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare Dasburma.
Dasburma made the statement in the presence of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at a Biju Chhatra Janata Dal convention here.
“The decision of the poet is against the growing intolerance in the country, for which the Union Government is responsible. We all should fight against the Centre for injustice and intolerance,” said Dasburma.
In his reaction on Sunday, Bhartruhari Mahtab had stated that it was not right for a person to return the award given by the country.
“This is not a right decision. A person who has been honoured by the nation should not return the award and, instead, must show respect for the award,” said Mahtab.
last week, Naveen Patnaik after meeting BJD MPs ahead of the Parliament’s Winter Session had said his party is “totally secular” and against intolerance in any form.
Notably, Cuttack-based Jayanta Mahapatra has written to President Pranab Mukherjee to return his Padmashree award to express dissent against the “moral asymmetry” destroying the fabric of the society.