Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Sasmit Patra on Sunday resigned from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, chaired by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, in strong protest against Dubey’s “disgraceful and false” remarks linking former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik to the CIA and US intelligence activities in the 1960s.
Patra described the comments as an insult to Biju Patnaik, a revered freedom fighter, aviator, and statesman widely regarded as a son of the soil in Odisha. “I strongly condemn the extremely disgraceful and false statements made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey regarding Shri Biju Patnaik. I refute his statements,” Patra said in a statement and video remarks shared on social media.
The controversy erupted after Dubey, in recent public statements and posts on X, alleged that Biju Patnaik served as a “link” between then-Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and the United States/CIA during the period following the 1962 Sino-Indian War. Dubey cited historical letters, including a 1963 communication from Nehru, and claimed that Patnaik facilitated the development of Charbatia airstrip in Odisha as a base for US U-2 spy planes and American military presence between 1963 and 1979. Dubey portrayed these actions as part of broader Nehru-era ties with American intelligence.
Patra countered that such allegations were baseless and disrespectful to Patnaik’s legacy. He highlighted Patnaik’s contributions, including piloting aircraft to transport soldiers to Kashmir in 1947, aiding Indonesian freedom fighters, supporting the Soviet Union against the Nazis during World War II, and his role in India’s freedom struggle. “For such a great personality, these statements from Nishikant Dubey are extremely unfortunate and condemnable,” Patra added. He emphasized that he could not, in good conscience, continue serving on a committee chaired by someone who made such remarks about a “national icon” and “towering freedom fighter.”
Biju Patnaik, who served as Odisha’s Chief Minister in the 1960s and later in the 1990s, remains an iconic figure in the state. Known for his adventurous spirit as a pilot and his international diplomacy, his legacy continues to evoke strong emotional resonance among Odias.
As of now, there has been no immediate response from Nishikant Dubey or the BJP central leadership on Patra’s resignation.
The development comes at a time when regional pride and historical narratives are increasingly being invoked in political discourse ahead of future electoral battles in Odisha.
