Bhubaneswar, April 23: Caught on the wrong foot after calling Odisha bandh on April 26 to protest against Centre’s neglect of the state, the ruling BJD has sought to convert it into a “hartal”, the softer version of a shut down.

Panchayati raj minister Kalpataru Das cited “technical and legal” problems in calling a bandh as the BJD was the party in power.

“We are in government. Instead of going for a full-fledged Odisha bandh, we will go for a peaceful hartal,” he said without explaining what the technical and legal problems were. He, however, made it clear that the party would not insist on the closure of schools and colleges.

Sources, however, said it was a clever attempt to wriggle out of a tight situation as April 26 happened to be the birth anniversary of Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati, the first Prime Minister of Odisha and a highly respected figure. Regional feelings weighed heavily on BJD’s mind as the Congress criticised it for calling a bandh that would affect the anniversary celebration programmes of the state’s first Prime Minister.

Making use of the opportunity, Congress president Niranjan Patnaik said: “The party has no respect for the sons of the soil. It could have called for Odisha bandh a day before or after April 26.”

Stating that the Maharaja had played a great role in the formation of Odisha in 1936 and subsequently became its Prime Minister, Patnaik said in the name of criticising the Centre, the ruling outfit disrespected the contributions of a great leader.

The embarrassment was all the more acute for the ruling party as Krushna Chandra Gajapati, the then Maharaja of Paralakhemundi, belonged to undivided Ganjam, the home district of chief minister Naveen Patnaik. Even the Assembly constituency of Patnaik, Hinjili, falls in the district. Sources said that Naveen was unhappy with party leaders for not having chosen the bandh date properly and landing him in an embarrassing situation.

Sources in the ruling party pointed to a 2010 ruling of Guwahati High Court which had declared bandhs “illegal and unconstitutional” as these violate the fundamental rights of citizens. The order was passed in the light of a 1997 Supreme Court order upholding a Kerala High Court judgment declaring bandhs “illegal”. The apex court had in 2009 clarified that bandhs or complete shutdowns were illegal but strikes and hartals were not.

Last Saturday, after the news about the Centre releasing Rs 1,250 crores to the state under the Backward Regions Grant Fund trickled in, two senior ministers — Prasanna Acharya and Damodar Rout — and BJD youth wing president Sanjay Dasburma held a press conference to announce the party’s decision to call a 12-hour Odisha bandh on April 26.

Apart from the bandh, the party had also announced its plan to stage a dharna outside the Raj Bhavan. The BJD has also launched a signature campaign against the Centre’s “step-motherly attitude” towards the state and has demanded more funds and a special category status.

Today, however, the party appeared to be on the defensive. Dasburma said: “We are a regional party and know how to pay respect to our leaders. On April 26, we will go and garland the statue of Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati. Programmes will also be held in his honour. The hartal will not interfere with it in any way.”