Row over editorials: Oppn Cong, BJP come out in support of Sambad Editor

Bhubaneswar: Opposition Congress and BJP today threw their weight behind Khandapada BJD MLA and Sambad Editor Soumya Ranjan Patnaik who has been facing flak from a few of his party colleagues for raising certain issues with regard to the governance in Odisha through his editorials recently.

Patnaik has been in the line of fire from his party men ever since he penned the editorials in Odisha’s largest circulated daily. A few BJD leaders alleged that Patnaik had violated the party discipline by criticizing the state government and the ruling party.

“Patnaik has raised certain issues through his editorials a few days ago. He has written the editorials as an editor of a newspaper. The editorials have nothing to do with his career as a politician and elected representative from the ruling party,” said Congress spokesperson Arya Kumar Gyanendra.

Gyanendra claimed that former Chief Minister Harekrushna Mahtab had written several editorials in his newspaper to highlight various issues concerning Odisha. “Former Samaj Editor Radhanath Rath too raised many issues regarding the state and the society as a whole while he was an elected representative and minister in Odisha. So, BJD leaders should stop criticizing Khandapada MLA for his newspaper editorials,” Gyanendra said.

BJP leader and Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi said the Sambad Editor has the courage to raise various issues of the state through his editorials.

“Patnaik is a learned person and he has long experience in public life. As a citizen of this state, I am extending my support to him,” she added.