The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Thursday launched a month-long public outreach programme at Suando in Puri district, marking the birth anniversary of Utkalamani Pandit Gopabandhu Das, a prominent social worker and reformer during the British Raj.
The padayatra staged to mark the occasion commenced from the Sakhi Gopal temple and culminated at Suando, the birthplace of Utkalamani Pandit Gopabandhu Das.
The outreach programme will raise awareness among the public regarding key issues such as the failures of the current government in fulfilling promises, atrocities against women, deterioration of law and order, attempts to undermine democratic and constitutional institutions, neglect of farmers’ concerns, unemployment and challenges faced by youth and students, price rise, and discrimination against Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, backward classes, and minorities.
This month-long public outreach programme, scheduled from October 9 to November 9, is being conducted across all blocks and urban areas of the state in a vigorous and organised manner.
All grassroots-level office bearers, elected representatives, active party members, and local residents will participate in this campaign.
BJD President Naveen Patnaik has approved the month-long campaign, which aims to strengthen the party’s connection with the people at the grassroots level.
The padayatra in each area is being led and managed by the respective local constituency leadership, while district presidents and state-level officials will supervise and monitor its progress.
During the course of the padayatra, BJD members will highlight the people-oriented programmes implemented by the BJD government over the years.
At the inaugural event in Suando, senior leaders, including Debi Prasad Mishra, Sanjay Das Burma, Arun Sahoo, Amar Patnaik, Uma Samantaray, Sunil Mohanty, Amaresh Patri, Sanjit Mohanty, Subrat Chhatoi, and Sunil Panda, participated in the programme.
Simultaneously, a similar programme was held in Bhubaneswar, where Debi Prasad Mishra, Ashok Panda, Ananta Narayan Jena, Susant Rout, Sulochana Das, Manmath Routray, and Manjulata Kanhar, besides BJD corporators, former corporators, women, youth, and students, participated in the Jana Sampark Padayatra.