Bhubaneswar, Apr 17: On the 28th death anniversary of Biju Patnaik, Odisha witnessed a heated exchange between the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, son of the legendary leader, accused political rivals of attempting to rewrite history to diminish Biju Patnaik's towering legacy. Speaking at a commemorative event, Naveen emphasized the need to focus on development rather than divisive narratives.

The BJP, however, fired back with sharp criticism. State BJP President Manmohan Samal labeled Naveen's remarks as politically motivated, suggesting that the former Chief Minister's advisors were steering him toward controversial statements. Samal also accused the previous BJD government of sidelining the State's other prominent figures and focusing on glorifying Biju Patnaik exclusively.

The day was marked by grand tributes to Biju Patnaik, including floral offerings at his statue in the Odisha Assembly premises and rituals at Bindusagar Lake. Naveen Patnaik participated in multiple events, honoring his father's contributions to the state and the nation.

The political drama surrounding the occasion, however, added a layer of intensity to the remembrance. Samal criticized Naveen Patnaik for not attending commemorative meeting in the Assembly premises.

He claimed that the BJP government observed Biju Patnaik's death anniversary in a big manner without any discrimination.

"While Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, Speaker Surama Padhy and Deputy Chief Ministers KV Singh Deo and Pravati Parida paid floral tribute at Biju Patnaik's statue in the Assembly premises, Naveen Babu didn't go there to pay tribute to the legendary leader," observed Samal.

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