Foundation stone laying: Naveen ‘ishtyle’

naveen

OST Bureau

Kendrapara, Nov 11:

“If the thirsty cannot go to the well, the well must come to the thirsty,” goes a popular Hindi saying. With his love for Hindi rather than the native tongue, chief minister Naveen Patnaik must have taken it too literally.

How else does one explain plaques, normally affixed to foundation stones of proposed projects, moving out of its original location, to a podium for the ritual laying ceremony by the monarch of the state and then being shifted back to its original location after the ceremony is over just because he cannot go to the place? Naveen has certainly done a first when it comes to the novelty in foundation stone laying ceremonies.

BJD workers and bystanders who had gathered at the foundation stone laying sites of the Duhuria –Chandbali and Tinimuhani-Angulai road projects had to return dejected as Naveen Patnaik could not make it to the venue because of a change in the programme at the very last moment. The chief minister instead laid the foundation stones of the two projects on the podium at a meeting at the Kendrapara College grounds on Sunday where he launched some welfare schemes, including the 108 ambulance service.

Preparations for the stone laying ceremonies of the road projects were complete with pandals and all the attendant paraphernalia. But officials had to rush, plaque in hand, to the meeting venue at Kendrapara college after word came that the chief minister could not come.

This novel way of laying the foundation stone amused the crowd no end.

“Naveen’s ishtyle”, quipped somebody in the crowd.

 

 

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