The Odisha Assembly witnessed a heated debate today over the government’s handling of the 125th birth anniversary of freedom fighter and social reformer Rama Devi.
Opposition BJD legislators accused the government of failing to honour its earlier announcement to celebrate the milestone year, calling the lapse an “unpardonable offence.”
Opposition deputy leader Prasanna Acharya said the Chief Minister had announced during the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav in January that the government would celebrate Rama Devi’s 125th birth anniversary throughout the year. “The government forgot its promise and failed to organise any program. This is disrespect to a legendary woman leader,” Acharya remarked. He added that neglecting icons like Gandhi, Gopabandhu, Rama Devi, and martyr Laxman Naik amounts to forgetting the nation’s own history.
BJD leaders, including Arun Kumar Sahoo, Goutam Buddha Das, and Pramila Mallik, echoed similar concerns, stressing that Rama Devi was a household name in Odisha and a prominent leader of both the freedom struggle and the Sarvodaya movement. They criticised the government for organising her 126th Jayanti at the Kalinga Stadium tennis court instead of a proper auditorium, calling it another sign of disregard.
Responding to the criticism, BJP legislator Irasis Acharya assured the House that the government would celebrate Rama Devi’s Jayanti throughout the year. He said the Culture Department had already planned exhibitions of her photos and paintings, publication of a book by Odisha Sahitya Akademi, and stage plays on her life. “Rama Devi’s sacrifice and contribution will be honoured through year-long programs,” Acharya stated.
Speaker Surama Padhy concluded by advising the government to review its schedule for commemorating Odisha’s great sons and daughters and ensure appropriate respect in future observances.
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