Cultural programme in Nabarangpur turns battlefield after political sparring among Odisha leaders

A cultural programme at the Mondei Mahotsav in Odisha’s Nabarangpur district witnessed disruption on Sunday after a verbal exchange between political leaders turned the stage into a platform for political sparring, drawing the attention of thousands of spectators present at the event.

The incident occurred during the concluding ceremony of the Mondei Mahotsav, where Panchayati Raj Minister Rabinarayan Naik, School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond, Nabarangpur MLA Gouri Shankar Majhi, Jharigaon MLA Narsing Bhatra and District Collector Maheswar Swain were seated on the dais. Dabugam MLA Manohar Randhari was delivering his address at the time.

Slogans Raised, Programme Halted Briefly

During his speech, Randhari criticised the district administration and questioned whether he was invited to the programme, leading to slogans being raised by BJP workers from below the stage. The situation led to a brief halt in the programme, prompting police and administrative officials to intervene and pacify the protesters. After discussions, normalcy was restored and the programme resumed.

Later, School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond responded to Randhari’s remarks in his address, stating that the district saw no development during 24 years of BJD rule, while, according to him, significant development took place over the past 17 months.

Statements From Leaders

Randhari said, “There were discussions with the government on what is required for the development of the area. Some people perhaps could not handle those discussions. As a responsible son of the soil, it was my duty to raise development issues.”

Minister Gond said, “The manner in which the speech was delivered gave an impression that no work is being done. Comparing 24 years of rule with 17 months is inappropriate. This was not the occasion to raise political matters, as Mondei Mahotsav symbolises brotherhood.”

A local resident, Sirrajuddin Ahmed, said, “I strongly condemn political discussions on a platform meant to showcase cultural harmony.”

As per reports, the spat took place when the MLA  alleged that although an invitation card was sent to him, he was not contacted again and expressed dissatisfaction that the programme began before his arrival. The incident drew criticism from sections of the audience, who expressed displeasure over political exchanges during a cultural event.