Bhubaneswar, August 21: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Chandra Majhi sharply criticized the previous Biju Janata Dal (BJD) government on Friday. He condemned their alleged failure, negligence, and appeasement politics regarding the brutal murder of Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati, a leader of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, in 2008.
While addressing a special event in Gurjang, Talcher, to mark Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati’s birth centenary, Majhi claimed that the disappearance of reports from the Justice Mahapatra Commission and Justice Naidu Commission was a deliberate attempt to shield the guilty.
The Chief Minister assured Odisha’s 4.5 crore citizens that justice would be served for every drop of Swami’s blood, and the truth would eventually emerge.
On this occasion, he announced plans to develop Gurjang, Swami’s ancestral village, as a ‘Heritage Village’ and to transform the Gurjang Panchayat into a ‘Model Panchayat.’
Majhi stated, “Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati was not just an individual; he was a great ideal, a divine institution, and a radiant guide of Sanatan Dharma. In this modern era, he renounced worldly comforts and dedicated his life to serving the helpless tribal communities in the remote forests of Kandhamal.”
He also highlighted Swami’s establishment of the Chakapad and Jalespata Ashrams, which empowered tribal girls through Sanskrit education and values.
The Chief Minister remarked, “The seeds of culture he sowed have now grown into a vast tree, while the awareness campaign he initiated against religious conversion has emerged as a conscious Sanatani resolution across the state. Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati embodies our society’s ‘Guru, Granth, and Garima.’”
In conclusion, Majhi urged the ‘Gen Z’ to reconnect with their roots, education, culture, Vedas, Sanskrit, cow protection, and Sanatani traditions. He called for contributions to nation-building with patriotism and courage. In honor of Swami’s unparalleled sacrifice and service, the state government has made several significant decisions. These include renaming the ‘Phulbani Government Medical College’ to ‘Swami Lakshmanananda Saraswati Medical College’ and approving ₹13 crores from the Chief Minister’s Special Assistance Fund for the development and heritage preservation of Swami’s workplace, Jaleshwar Ashram, and the girls’ school.
Of this amount, ₹5 crores will be allocated for constructing a hostel with 300 seats for female students, while ₹3 crores will be spent on preserving the heritage site.
A mega river lift project will also be implemented to ensure a reliable drinking water supply.
The event was attended by Odisha Assembly Speaker and former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, among others, who also addressed the gathering.
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