An unusual situation surfaced concerning the installation of former MLA late Bishnu Das' statue in Raghunathpur block headquarters.
Leaders across political spectrum, social organisations, and right bodies across Jagatsinghpur district opposed the move of installing late Dalit leader Das's statue in close proximity of Odisha’s luminary Pandit Gopabandhu Das statue at Jagannathpur Bazar near Raghunathpur block.
The Congress and BJP youth wings, Navnirman Krushak Sangathan, few rights bodies, and social activists petitioned to Collector SK Mohapatra, seeking to refrain from the statue installation programme.
On the other hand, district BJD president, MLA Prasanta Muduli informed that opposition parties and a few people were doing cheap politics over the issue.
The protestors claimed that late Das was no match for a leader like Pandit Gopabandhu Das and so, it would be a disrespect to the Utkal Mani if Bishnu's statue is kept close to Gopabandhu's statue.
It was ironic how BJD decided to instal Bishnu's bust beside Gopabandhu Das statue at Raghunathpur, fumed Congress leader Himanshu Mallick who had first raised the issue five days ago.
A BJP Yuba Morcha delegation on Wednesday met Collector SK Mohapatra and demanded that the plan be dropped. Yuba Morcha president Manas Mohapatra dubbed it as utter disregard to Gopabandhu.
Further, NNKS activists urged that they have no objection to installing Bishnu's statue on the spot but before that Gopabandhu's statue be relocated as keeping the statues close will be disrespect to the Utkal Mani.
On the contrary, Dalit Bikash Parishad slammed the people opposing the move for caste reason. Parishad president Shankar Das petitioned to the Collector on Wednesday.
Notably, for commemorating late Bishnu Das's 1st death anniversary on July 7, the BJD had proposed to instal three statues of late Das at Biridi, Raghunathpur, and Tirtol block headquarters on July 25. Many BJD MLAs, Ministers and party workers had been called to attend the event to observe the celebration at different locations.
Reports said that meanwhile following the SP's order, the BJD had deferred the statue installation event at Biridi and Raghunathpur blocks and only a statue of Bishnu's was inaugurated in front of Tirtol block by a handful of local BJD supporters.
Bishnu’s son MLA Bijaya Shankar Das informed that he was unaware where his late father’s statues are being installed and who were funding the programme.
Jagatsinghpur district BJD president and MLA Prasanta Muduli said the BJD was not sponsoring the programme.