Garvita OdiaBhubaneswar,18/03: A fresh political controversy has emerged over the ‘Biju Naveen Inspirational Foundation’, with BJD president Naveen Patnaik today issuing a clarification on its formation even as the BJP questioned the timing and intent behind the move. Breaking his silence, Patnaik said the trust was formed during a period when he was preparing for a serious neck surgery. He stated that before undergoing the operation in Mumbai, he travelled to Delhi to consult legal and financial experts on setting up a trust.
“I decided to open a trust in Biju Babu’s name for the benefit of the people of Odisha,” Patnaik said, adding that the foundation was initiated with a personal contribution of Rs 1 lakh. He emphasised that no funds from the Biju Janata Dal or any political party would be used for the trust.
The former chief minister also said the clarification was necessary as “negative stories” were circulating in sections of the media regarding the formation of the trust.
State-wide fire safety mock drill on March 28
Garvita Odia- March 23, 2026
Bhubaneswar,23/03/2026: The Housing & Urban Development Department, in collaboration with Odisha Fire Services, conducted a sensitization workshop on fire safety awareness and preparedness today. The session was aimed at synchronizing…
