NEW DELHI: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has strongly condemned controversial remarks made by BJP leader Nishikant Dubey against former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik, calling them “unfounded” and “an affront to the sentiments of every Odia.”
The reaction came amid escalating political tensions, with BJD leaders accusing Dubey of distorting historical facts and disrespecting a towering national figure.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP Sasmit Patra resigned from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communication and IT, which is chaired by Dubey. In his letter to the Rajya Sabha Chairman, Patra said his resignation was a matter of principle, adding that he could not “in good conscience” continue to serve under someone who had made disrespectful public remarks about the late Biju Patnaik.
Backing the party’s stance, another BJD Rajya Sabha MP, Subhasish Khuntia, criticised Dubey’s statements as “ill-conceived assertions bereft of historical integrity.”
He said the comments were disparaging to Patnaik’s legacy and hurt the collective sentiments of the people of Odisha.
“Trivial political machinations can scarcely eclipse his towering contributions to the nation,” Khuntia said.
BJD leader Manas Mangaraj also condemned the remarks, terming them “irresponsible and outrageous.”
He said such claims insult the legacy of a freedom fighter and amount to an attack on the pride and identity of every Odia.
Dubey, speaking to reporters, had alleged that India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had fought the 1962 war with China with American assistance and CIA involvement, and that Patnaik acted as a link between the US government, the CIA, and Nehru.
He further claimed that Charbatia airport in Odisha served as a base for U2 spy plane, alleging the presence of US military in India from 1963 to 1979.
The remarks have triggered widespread criticism from BJD leaders, who maintain that such statements are historically inaccurate and politically motivated, intensifying the ongoing political discourse around legacy and national history.