Amid the ongoing controversy over rescheduling the Panchayati Raj Divas celebrations, the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) announced state-wide protests on March 6 against the Odisha government’s decision to shift the observance date from March 5 to April 24.
During a press conference on Tuesday, senior BJD leader Sanjay Das Burma criticized the BJP-led state government’s move, calling it an “anti-constitutional attitude.” He emphasized that the Panchayati Raj Divas has traditionally been celebrated on March 5 to honor the birth anniversary of legendary leader Biju Patnaik and his contributions to the Panchayati Raj system.
“On Biju Patnaik’s birth anniversary, celebrations will continue across the state as always. However, on March 6, BJD workers will hit the streets in protest,” Burma declared.
Burma urged youths, students, and women from all over Odisha to join the protests. He accused the government of betraying the legacy of Biju Patnaik and the sentiments of the people by altering the date of the celebration.
Highlighting Patnaik’s pioneering role in strengthening the Panchayati Raj system, Burma noted that Biju Babu was the first to implement the three-tier Panchayati Raj system in India. He also championed the idea of ‘Gaon Ku Kama and Maa Ku Samman’ (employment in villages and respect for women).
As Odisha’s former Chief Minister, Biju Patnaik took a revolutionary step by introducing 33% reservation for women in the Panchayati Raj institutions. He believed in empowering women and involving them in policy-making at the grassroots level, asserting that Odisha and India could not progress without women’s active participation.
Since 1991, Biju Patnaik’s birth anniversary on March 5 has been celebrated as Panchayati Raj Divas in Odisha. Burma emphasized that Biju Babu would always be remembered as the architect of the state’s Panchayati Raj system and a visionary leader dedicated to rural development and women’s empowerment.
