Bhubaneswar: The BJD and the BJP are vying with each other to project themselves as the champions of Odia pride.
The rivalry is set to sharpen on the Utkal Divas on Sunday when both will be organising programmes to capture the imagination of the people.
While chief minister Naveen Patnaik will attend the state-level function and his ministerial colleagues those at the district level, the BJD will also organise a 10-day foot march to mark the occasion. The party will organise meetings at the panchayat level to propagate the projects initiated by the state government.
Besides, the chief minister will dedicate to the people the new Mahanadi Setu at Nuapatna near Cuttack named after Utkal Gaurab Madhu Sudan Das, commonly termed as the architect of modern Odisha. It will be thrown open to the public as well.
On the other hand, Union petroleum minister Dharmendra Pradhan will try to whip up sentiments of the Odias by launching a programme to build a new Odisha.
The party is organising the event with the help of an NGO, which has roped in Upendra Maharana, the successor of legendary Bisu Maharana and Dharama, who were the chief architects of the Konark Temple. He will administer pledge for the building of new Odisha under the Nua Odisha Nirmana Abhijan to the youths on Utkal Divas.
On this day, Pradhan will inaugurate the world-class interpretation centre at Konark, funded by the Indian Oil Foundation. With an investment of Rs 45 crore, it will emerge as the new tourist hub for the tourists.
The BJD has already named many schemes after the sons of soil, including the Madhu Babu Pension scheme, Gopabandhu Grammeen Yojana and the Gangadhar Meher Lift Irrigation System.
Both the parties had been engaged in a fierce battle last year over the issue of observing the bi-centenary of freedom fighter Buxi Jagabandhu. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi had, during his Odisha visit, honoured the descendants of the paikas, the Naveen government had organised a function in Delhi to commemorate the bi-centenary year of the Paika rebellion - which many believe was the first Indian war of Independence.
BJD leader Samir Dash said: "We are a regional party. We are associated with the regional aspirations. The chief minister has taken a number of steps to promote the state's s culture. But, the BJP is envious of us."
However, the BJP alleged that the BJD was doing politics over the issue. BJP vice-president Samir Mohanty said: "We will always promote the state's culture and its identity. For us, the history of Odisha is not confined to the state and revolve only around Biju babu. The history of Odisha goes beyond that and is linked with Buxi Jagabandhu."
However, social activist Subas Patnaik said: "Both the parties are fooling the people. No party has come forward and agreed to our demand of implementing the Odia language in official work."
