New Delhi, March 31: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has strongly condemned remarks made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey regarding Biju Patnaik, demanding an apology. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has also sharply criticized Dubey’s statements. In response, Dubey has issued a clarification.
He posted on the social media platform X, stating, “Biju Babu is revered by us too. It is inappropriate to politicize Biju Babu.”
Sharing a screenshot of his post, Dubey questioned, “What have I said against Biju Babu? I am conducting a series on the Nehru-Gandhi family’s actions for 365 days. Biju Babu is revered by us. It is wrong to politicize Biju Babu. A respected person always deserves respect. I earnestly request the people of Odisha not to become victims of politics. The people and identity of Odisha are paramount to me. I salute Biju Babu’s contributions to the nation.”
Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding Dubey’s remarks, Naveen Patnaik expressed his astonishment at the disrespectful comments made about Biju Babu. He recalled Biju Babu’s anger during the Chinese invasion and the measures he took to address it. Patnaik suggested that the MP might need consultation with a mental health professional.
On the same day, BJD’s youth and student wings, Biju Yuva Janata Dal and Chhatra Janata Dal, protested at Master Canteen Square in Bhubaneswar, vocally opposing Dubey’s statements. During a press conference held at the BJD headquarters, senior vice president Debi Prasad Mishra and the party’s chief whip in the Odisha Assembly, Pramila Malik, condemned Dubey’s remarks and demanded an immediate, unconditional apology.
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