Delhi, March 31: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has strongly condemned comments made by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey regarding Biju Patnaik and has demanded an apology. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has also criticized Dubey’s statements. In response, Nishikant Dubey has clarified his remarks.
He posted on the social media platform X, stating that Biju Babu is revered by all, and that politicizing his legacy is inappropriate.
Dubey shared a screenshot of his post, questioning what he had said against Biju Babu. He mentioned that he is conducting a series on the Nehru-Gandhi family’s actions over 365 days. “Biju Babu is revered by us too. Politicizing Biju Babu is not right. Honorable individuals deserve 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,” he wrote.
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, suggesting that the MP may need consultation with a mental health professional.
On the same day, BJD’s youth and student organizations, Biju Yuva Janata Dal and Chhatra Janata Dal, protested at Master Canteen Square in Bhubaneswar, vehemently 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 and unconditional apology.