Orissa MLAs demand Bauxi Jagabandhu's statue in Parliament

Bhubaneswar, Mar 15 (UNI) Members of the ruling BJD and BJP alliance today demanded installation of a statue of freedom fighter Bauxi Jagabandhu in Parliament complex.

The demand echoed after Culture Minister Surya Narayan Patro while replying to a calling attention motion, moved by the Treasury bench members, said the Parliament Committee had informed the state government recently that no more lifesize statue of Bauxi Jagabandhu riding a horse could be installed inside Parliament complex.

The Minister said in 2003 the state government had requested the Lok Sabha secretariat and sent samples of the statue in the next year to the committee for selection.

But in January 2005, the Lok Sabha Director informed the state government that no lifesize horse riding statue of anyone except Saheed Durga Malla, Maharana Pratap, Kittur queen Channam and Queen Laxmi Bai could be installed in Parliament complex.

Considering the sentiments of the people and history of the state, the state government wrote three letters to Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee in 2007 requesting him to help in installing the statue but all were turned down.

The government, he said, had decided to take up the issue with the Centre again.

Earlier participating in the motion, Mr Ananta Das (BJD) said Bauxi Jagabandhu was a great fighter and the Lok Sabha Speaker should amend his decision to facilitate the installation of the statue.

Mr Mahesh Sahoo (BJP) said the selection committee had no right to take such a decision. He said Bauxi Jagabandhu fulfilled all criteria for the installation of his statue in Parliament and suggested to pass a resolution in the house condemning the decision.

Mr Pradeep Maharathy (BJD) said the Centre did not accept the proposal as the proposal was not presented properly.

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