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Hitting out at BJP leaders for their "Odia asmita is in danger" jibes at the ruling BJD, party leader VK Pandian who is a close aide of Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has said that the BJP-led central government did not "spend a single rupee" for development of Odia as a classical language and that Bharat Ratna has not been bestowed on former state Chief Minister Bjiu Patnaik "who is pride of India" even as it has been given "to so many leaders throughout the country."
In an exclusive interview with ANI, BJD leader Pandian, who is 5T Chairman, also rejected the "outsider" tag being sought to be given to him by some BJP leaders and said the national party which talks about "one nation, nationalism" should explain its stance first. Pandian said the BJP-led government had rejected Naveen Patnaik's proposal to declare "Odissi music as classic music". He said the BJP has no issue for the assembly and Lok Sabha polls in Odisha and is raking up issues like "Odia asmita" to target the BJD. Odisha will go for simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly polls. Lok Sabha and assembly polls in the state will be held in four phases on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1. Naveen Patnaik is seeking to steer the party for a sixth straight term in office in the assembly polls. Pandian also responded to a query about the reported alliance talks between the Biju Janata Dal and BJP, saying that "there is nothing bitter" in the rivalry between the two parties and Chief Minister and PM Modi have a lot of respect for each other. Asked about PM Modi's remarks in a TV interview that Odia 'asmita' is in danger, Odia language is in danger, Pandian said he had not personally seen what Prime Minister said but has heard this from state BJP leaders and some other leaders also. He said the Odia language was given classical status in 2014 when the Congress-led UPA government was in power. "I would like to say that of BJP is raising the issue of Odia pride, a state's pride is its language, number one is language, number two is its God, number three is its culture and number four is its people. Let's analyse what BJP has done in the last 10 years in all these four things." "Start with Odia language, the CM fought for making the Odia language a classical language. In 2014 February, under UPA, Odia language was declared as a classical language. Ten years have passed, not a single rupee, not a single initiative has been taken up for Odia as a classical language. Whereas starting from Sanskrit to Telugu to Tamil to Marathi, every language which has been made classical language they all have got support from the central government. So this is the kind of commitment with which the central government has handled the Odia language which is very much part of the Odia pride," he said. "Number two, you take culture. Odissi music is world famous. For Odissi music to become classical music, the Chief Minister has written twice, sent strong proposals urging the Central Government to declare it as a classical music but both times, the same central government, which talks about Odia pride has rejected it," he added. The bureaucrat-turned-politician said the Centre has to tell the people of Odisha what it has done for them in the last 10 years. "...Number three is Lord Jagannath. He is the biggest identity of Odia's pride. When the work was started to clean up the temple outside and make a parikrama, it was the central minister from Odisha who put his heart and soul to stop this work just because he didn't want Naveen Babu to become immortalised by doing great work. So that is their commitment for Lord Jagannath," Pandian said. "Number four the people of Odisha. What great work has been done for the people of Odisha in the last 10 years, that is the question they have to answer. Just because in the election 2024, they don't have any issue, they have identified this issue and people will give a befitting reply," he added. Pandian said Biju Patnaik is a proud identity of Odisha but has not given the country's highest civilian award posthumously. "To top it all, one of the most eminent personalities, legendary leader, freedom fighter from Odisha who is an identity of Odisha is Bjiu Patnaik. The Central Government has given Bharat Ratna to so many leaders throughout the country. He has fought the British. He had been jailed. He had done so much for the country and the state. You take the Bangladesh war in which he has played a role. We talk about Kashmir so much, he was one of the first pilots to land in Kashmir, risking his life. He went on the request, suggestion of the then Prime Minister all the way to Indonesia to bring freedom fighters of Indonesia. He is the pride of India and not just for Odisha," he said. "Have we honoured him with Bharat Ratna? It is a very painful thing which saddens the people of Odisha. In fact, if you see two people from Odisha talking in any part of the world, first they will talk about Lord Jagannath and after three-four minutes, they will start talking about Biju Patnaik and his exploits, his valour, heroism. Either they will have tears in their eyes...that is the kind of image Biju Babu has in Odisha. What are they talking about Odia Pride? Language, culture, leaders of Odisha, Lord Jagannath, nothing has been done. Let anyone come to me for debate. I will take a debate from anyone who wants to take a debate on Odia asmita," he added. On the "outsider" tag for him by some BJP leaders, Pandian asked what is an outsider for an Indian citizen. "Who is an outsider? BJP, a national party, who talks about One Nation, nationalism...Who is an outsider, let them explain it first. What is an outsider for an Indian citizen? If they explain it, then maybe we will be able to answer it," he said. Asked if there was bitter political rivalry between BJD and BJP after earlier speculation of alliance between the two parties Pandian said "there is nothing bitter". "The CM and the PM have a lot of respect for each other. They both wanted to have talks like true statesmen in the larger interest. It didn't happen. But this is election time, so they will tell something and we have to counter it," he said. (ANI)
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