People cutting across party lines, including Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, on Thursday paid tributes to the legendary former chief minister Biju Patnaik on his 28^th death anniversary.

“Humble tributes to the great public figure, freedom fighter, and former Chief Minister of Odisha, Biju Patnaik, on his death anniversary. His contribution towards education and empowerment will always remain an inspiration for all. He was a proud Odia with self-esteem,” the Chief Minister posted on X.

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In another development, Biju Janata Dal (BJD) President and former chief minister Naveen Patnaik (son of late Biju Patnaik) said that the BJP-led Government in the State should emphasise the development of Odisha instead of “belittling the great sons of the soil”. The BJD chief said this during the 28th death anniversary of former Odisha CM Biju Patnaik in an indirect reference to the 15 April incident of vandalising a statue of Biju Patnaik in Patnagarh town of Bolangir district.

It was the third such incident of attack on the late leader’s statue in the recent past. In March, miscreants vandalised a statue of Biju Patnaik in the Mahanga area of Cuttack district. Furthermore, the colour of Biju Patnaik’s statue was also changed in Cuttack city last month. The Bolangir incident is the third such incident in the series since the BJP came to power in the state.

Biju Janata Dal (BJD), which has been named after the legendary leader, was formed in the late 1990s after the demise of Biju babu.

“Tributes to the pride of Odia, the great public figure, Biju Babu, on his death anniversary. His fearless life, indomitable courage is an inspiration to crores of Odias. The mantra he gave to live with the people and work for the people will always inspire us to serve the four and a half crore Odisha people.” Naveen Patnaik said in his X handle.

Biju Patnaik, a freedom fighter, an industrialist, and a pilot, was born on March 5, 1916, in Odisha’s Cuttack and passed away on April 17, 1997, in New Delhi. He became the chief minister of Odisha twice, first from 1961 to 1963 and later from 1990 to 1995. He was also the Union Minister of Steel, Mines and Coal. He was a freedom fighter and went to jail several times during the country’s Independence struggle.

Biju Patnaik was elected to the Lok Sabha four times, once to the Rajya Sabha, and seven times to the Odisha Assembly.

Biju Patnaik’s role in the Indonesian freedom struggle single-handedly raised the glory of Odisha to the global level. The South East Asian Country had later conferred on him the ‘son of the soil’ award.