A Central tribal university in tribals-dominated Sundargarh district would be the best tribute to former CM Hemanand Biswal, said speakers at a condolence meeting on Sunday here.
Biswal was the chief adviser of Utkala Bikasha Juba Parisada and Netaji Subhas Birth Soil Yatra till his death for long twenty years.
The Parisad organised the meeting to pay tribute to its chief patron who died on February 25.
Biswal's life was an open book and he was dedicated to the cause of Adivasis, Dalits and backwards. He fought for their constitutional rights, the speakers said.
During his tenure as member of Parliament from Sundargarh, he had taken up the issue of establishing a regional campus of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University in Sundergarh. The same had been accepted in principle by the UPA Government, they said.
"Both the Odisha Government and Centre should come forward jointly to establish the tribal university at Sundergarh which will be the best tribute to Biswal," they demanded.
While Arun Jena coordinated, Debiprasad Prusti, Manoranjan Naik and Soma Kaemakar spoke.