Even as the State Government suffers a huge embarrassment in the wake of the revelation that it had not recommended the name of popular Kosli poet Haladhar Nag for his Padmashree award, Culture Minister Ashok Chandra Panda has now sought to wriggle out of the controversy by advancing his own reason.
And in the process, Panda has exposed none other than Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for the loss of face of the State in the Nag episode.
Panda has claimed that his Culture Department had suggested Nag, along with some other eminent persons, for the Padma award, but the State Government did not ultimately send his name to the Centre for consideration.
It is evident from Panda’s statement that the General Administration Department (GAD) ignored his department’s recommendation in respect of Nag.
And the GAD is headed by the Chief Minister himself, who is yet to react on the issue.