Bhubaneswar: Former Odisha MP and senior leader Baishnab Charan Parida passed away at a private hospital in Bhubaneswar today. He was 77.
Parida was undergoing treatment since many days after he was diagnosed with cancer.
He was a well known politician, columnist and a social activist. Parida had been fighting to bring the Odisha Official Language Act, 1954.
The senior leader was elected to Rajya Sabha in July 2010 and his term ended on July 1, 2016.
Expressing profound sorrow over the demise of Parida, CPM leader Janardana Pati said, "He was an initiator of the Bhasa Adolana and played a crucial role in implementation of the Odisha Official Language Act, 1954. I condole his death and my deepest sympathy goes out to the bereaved family."
"Parida played a pivotal role in raising issues of criminalisation of politics and black money. May his soul rest in peace," said Rabi Behera, Samajwadi party leader.
"Parida's death is an irreparable loss for the State. He will be remembered for his contribution towards the interest of the State and Odia language," said Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, senior BJP leader.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik expressed grief over the death of Parida.
OPCC chief Niranjan Patnaik, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and former MP Baijayant Panda also took to the Twitter to condole the demise of Parida.
Parida was born in Jajpur in 1941. He was a member of the Communist Party of India (CPI) from 1960 to 1992. Later he quit CPI due to some differences on application of Marxist ideology in Indian reality.
In 1993, he joined Indian National Congress. Until 1998 he was in Congress but due to his differences with the then State party leadership he quit the party and joined Samajwadi Party in 1999 as its State President. He was in Samajwadi party until he resigned in 2008. In 2008 he joined the BJD.