Odisha celebrates birth anniversary of Netaji, Surendra Sai

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Jan 23:

Odisha celebrated the birth anniversary of two if its greatest sons today. While it was the 118th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, it was the 206th birth anniversary of legendary freedom fighter Surendra Sai.

Pic: Biswaranjan Mishra
Pic: Biswaranjan Mishra

Netaji’s birth place at Cuttack, which has been turned into a museum, witnessed a huge footfall with children making the bulk of the crowd.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik offered floral tributes to the statue of the leader.

“I am delighted to be here today, on the 118th birth anniversary of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and to see a number of improvements that have taken place here at his birth place,” said Patnaik.

The museum was decorated and redesigned while four of its galleries were renovated for the special occasion.  The newly done garden, however, was at the centre of attraction. Also, a new souvenir shop has been opened inside the campus. Books written by Netaji are also being displayed at a gallery along with his belongings.

The CM, later in the day, the CM offered floral tributes to Veer Ssurendra Sai, one of the earliest freedom fighters in the state, at his statue in the premises if the state Assembly.

The Chief Minister’s scheduled visit to  Sambalpur to unveil a bronze statue of Veer Surendra Sai at Khinda square of Sambalpur had to be rejiged at the last minute due to a dispute over its inauguration between political parties. Instead of unveiling the statue, Patnaik only garlanded the statue, which had been inaugurated by a descendant of the great freedom fighter on Wednesday.

(Politics surrounding the inauguration of this statue can be read here –http://odishasuntimes.com/109526/odisha-freedom-fighter-surendra-sais-statue-covered-inauguration/ )

Odisha Congress leaders celebrated the birth anniversary of both freedom fighters at a simple ceremony by garlanding the photos of both leaders. “The sacrifice, dedication and martyrdom of both the great leaders will continue to inspire us. Indian National Congress remembers both the leaders with deep respect,” said PCC President Prasad Harichandan.

BJP workers garlanded the Netaji statue near Rasulgarh in an event. “We call upon our party members and workers to draw inspiration from the sacrifices of Netaji,” said Dillip Mohanty of BJP.

Utkal Sammilani organized an event in capital city to garland and paid tributes to Surendra Sai in an area that has been named after him (Veer Surendra Sai nagar also known as VSS Nagar).

“Both Surendra Sai and Netaji Subhash Bose make us proud to be Odias. I hope that the citizens will be inspired by their ideologies,” said BJD MLA Priyadarshi Mishra speaking on the occasion.

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