PCC chief warns party’s Debasis Patnaik for ‘endorsing’ KIIT University

Debasis Patnaik, a senior Congress leader in Odisha, was reprimanded by Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Bhakta Charan Das on Monday, following divergent remarks made by the former concerning KIIT University in Bhubaneswar.

Also Read: KIIT University row: Guilty will not be spared, says Odisha Law Minister

A protest was previously staged by the Congress party on February 22, in response to the sad demise of a Nepali girl student of KIIT inside her hostel. However, the former Banki MLA subsequently provided a defence for the institution, contrary to the party’s stance.

PCC chief warns Debasis Patnaik saying

Bhakta Das highlighted the importance of the party integrity and alignment, stating, “While personal relationships exist, one cannot sing praises when it goes against the party line.” He emphasised that no party member is allowed to voice opinions that differ from the party’s official view or communicate with the media without prior coordination.

The situation has been further complicated by Patnaik’s personal connection to KIIT, where his wife, Ipsita Satpathy, serves as a professor in the management department for a long time. His recent actions have attracted criticism from within the party ranks.

“For that only he (Debasis Patnaik) was restrained. Everyone else was restrained. Nobody has any personal opinion when a public issue is there. Everybody must stick to the party line. At this juncture you (the former MLA) could have a personal relationship; anyone else may also have any link. You are not supposed to praise anyone. However, you can oppose and it should be issue-based, as a member of the Opposition party. You have to keep silence instead,” PCC president Das expressed while speaking to mediapersons.

“An issue cannot be taken out of the party line, in a wrong manner. Whoever he may be, be it Debasis Babu or anyone else. Everybody has to toe the line,” the PCC chief warned.

Worth mentioning, earlier on February 27, Bhakta Das implemented stringent measures to supervise the media communications of his party leaders.

In a directive reportedly aimed at maintaining the integrity of the party's public stance, PCC president Das instructed that leaders consult either him or the head of media committee prior to making public statements.

Must Read: KIIT University ‘attempted to suppress the matter’!

This recent initiative was taken in response to a few Congress leaders including Debasis Patnaik expressing views that are not aligned with the party’s core principles, potentially risking the party’s reputation.