Orissa demands Buxi Jagabandhu statue in Parliament

Bhubaneswar, Sep 11 (UNI) The Orissa Government has urged Lok Sabha Speaker Somanath Chatterjee to install a statue of Buxi Jagabandhu Bidyadhar, a great freedom fighter of Orissa, in equestrian posture in Parliament house complex.

In a letter to Mr Chatterjee, Orissa's Culture Minister Surjya Narayan Patro said Buxi Jagabandhu, who fought the British regime during 1812 to 1817, was also a famous rider. Since no photograph of him was available, his statues in equestrian posture were installed at different places of Orissa, he added.

Meanwhile, the Lok Sabha secretariat Director had informed the government that no equestrian statue other than Saheed Durga Malla, Maharana Pratap, Kittur Rani Channama and Rani Laxmi Bai of Jhansi could be installed in Parliament house due to non-availability of a suitable spot.

Mr Patra said the news regarding installation of statue of Rana Pratap in equestrian posture along with three sepoys standing beside him had evoked widespread discontentment across the state.

UNI