It was quite interesting to note the attitude of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) towards celebration of the Holi festival this year.
Party supremo and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik refrained from celebrating the festival of colours expressing concern over the crop loss due to drought. As a result, no one turned up at the Naveen Niwas on the day.
But Patnaik’s Culture and tourism Minister Ashok Chandra Panda had gala festivities on the occasion at his residence with men and women playing colours with him and each other in gay abandon.
A beaming Panda said, “Holi is part of our culture; so, I see no harm in celebrating the occasion (since he is the Minister of Culture).”
Political observers wonder how Naveen Patnaik forgot the “culture” part when he skipped the Holi celebration. Had Ashok Panda had a talk with his Chief Minister about this aspect when he decided to have the celebration in full swing disregarding Patnaik’s posture over the drought situation, ask the observers.
Many other BJD leaders like Minister Damodar Rout also celebrated the Holi at their houses, apparently rejecting the Chief Minister’s logic of nonobservance of the festival this year.