"Should have asked for apology from Odiyas": Dharmendra Pradhan accuses Rahul Gandhi of insulting Odisha's culture during recent visit
Pradhan said that instead of making fresh allegations, Gandhi should have apologised to the people of Odisha for the humiliation caused by the Congress party in the past. He also accused the Congress MP of disrespecting the sacred 'khandua pata', a traditional cloth offered in honour of Lord Jagannath.
Speaking to reporters, Pradhan said, 'Rahul Gandhi is not so knowledgeable. He speaks what his team writes for him. I would have liked it if he had sought an apology from the people of Odisha after all the humiliation we have faced from his party... He had come to Odisha after so long, he really should have asked for an apology from the Odiyas... Instead of that, he gave another example of his arrogance. Whoever comes to Odisha, they are offered 'khandua pata' in the form of the blessings of Mahaprabhu Jagannath... When Rahul Gandhi removed and kept the 'khandua pata' aside, it shows that he does not have an iota of knowledge and respect for our culture and traditions. These are just theatrics...'
On Friday, Rahul Gandhi had accused the Odisha government of stealing from the poor and alleged that industrialist Gautam Adani was running the state. He also claimed that the chariots of Lord Jagannath's Rath Yatra were stopped for Adani and his family.
Meanwhile, Dharmendra Pradhan attended the birth centenary celebration of eminent writer Bidyutprabha Devi at RD University in Bhubaneswar. Odisha Higher Education Minister Suryabanshi Suraj and senior BJP leaders were also present at the event.
Pradhan praised the Odisha Sahitya Akademi and the Odia community for organising the event and honouring literary contributions.
'I express my heartfelt gratitude on behalf of the Odisha Sahitya Akademi and the Odisha Government. I also thank the Odia community for organising this cultural event. This program will inspire the younger generation, especially women, to develop a greater interest in literature and give more respect to literary contributions,' he said.
He added that such initiatives would encourage young people to value literature and stressed the need to promote the Odia language using modern technology.
'I fully support this initiative and request that such efforts continue throughout the year. In today's time, with the rise of new technologies like AI, it is important that we work together to promote and enrich the Odia language in the digital world. All Odias should come forward to help make our language stronger and more advanced,' Pradhan said. (ANI)
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
24 minutes ago
- NDTV
PM Modi Most Popular Democratic Leader With 75% Approval Rating: Survey
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emerged as the world's most popular democratic leader with a 75% approval rating, according to a recent global survey conducted by US-based data analytics firm Morning Consult. The survey, which reflects public sentiment collected between July 4 and 10, 2025, shows PM Modi well ahead of his global counterparts. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung followed with a 59% approval rating. Argentine President Javier Milei secured the third spot with 57%. The survey uses a rolling seven-day average to assess opinions among adult populations in each country. It is part of Morning Consult's ongoing Global Leader Approval Rating Tracker, which regularly measures the popularity of various democratic leaders. According to the report, only 18% of respondents disapproved of PM Modi's leadership, while 7% remained undecided or gave no opinion. PM Modi, who secured a third consecutive term in May 2024, continues to enjoy a dominant position in global rankings, reflecting both his domestic popularity and growing international recognition. US President Donald Trump, who returned to office last year, was ranked eighth, with only 44% expressing approval. As per reports, recent policy decisions, including controversial trade and domestic initiatives, may have affected his standing. Here's a look at the top 10 names from the survey: Narendra Modi (India): 75% approval, 7% no opinion, 18% disapproval Lee Jae-myung (South Korea): 59% approval, 13% no opinion, 29% disapproval Javier Milei (Argentina): 57% approval, 6% no opinion, 37% disapproval Mark Carney (Canada): 56% approval, 13% no opinion, 31% disapproval Anthony Albanese (Australia): 54% approval, 11% no opinion, 35% disapproval Claudia Sheinbaum (Mexico): 53% approval, 7% no opinion, 40% disapproval Karin Keller-Sutter (Switzerland): 48% approval, 24% no opinion, 28% disapproval Donald Trump (United States): 44% approval, 6% no opinion, 50% disapproval Donald Tusk (Poland): 41% approval, 11% no opinion, 49% disapproval Giorgia Meloni (Italy): 40% approval, 6% no opinion, 54% disapproval This recognition for PM Modi also coincides with another milestone in his political journey. As of July 26, 2025, he has completed 4,079 days in office, surpassing Indira Gandhi to become India's second-longest serving Prime Minister in an uninterrupted term. PM Modi is behind only the country's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. He is also the first and only non-Congress leader to have completed two full terms and been re-elected twice with a majority. This makes him the only non-Congress Prime Minister to independently secure a majority in the Lok Sabha.
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Sacrifice of Kargil martyrs an inspiration for all: Dy CM
1 2 Lucknow: Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak on Saturday said the Kargil Vijay Diwas stands as a symbol of the Indian Army 's valour that protected the integrity of the nation and forced enemy to retreat. Speaking during a Sainik Samman, a seminar, and mashal yatra organised by BJP Lucknow, he urged every citizen to honour the soldiers and stand in solidarity with their families. "The sacrifice of Kargil martyrs continues to inspire us all," he said. During the programme, tributes were offered to the martyrs of the Kargil War . Ex-servicemen Colonel Anil Jaggi, Subedar AK Singh Chauhan, Subedar Shivkumar Mishra, Kishore Dey and Arun Kumar Gupta were honoured with shawls, bouquet and mementoes in recognition of their service. "Our army fought from lower positions and still triumphed. We must always bow our heads in gratitude to our soldiers," Pathak said. Rajya Sabha MP Amarpal Maurya targeted the Congress, saying: "Even before Kargil, Congress conspired to divide the country during the freedom movement. Today, under PM Narendra Modi, India is fully secure, and no one can dare to claim even an inch of our land." BJP state vice president Tryambak Tripathi expressed pride in their supreme sacrifice. BJP mahanagar president Anand Dwivedi said the party remains committed to spreading awareness about the courage and patriotism displayed during the Kargil War through such programmes. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Elegant New Scooters For Seniors In 2024: The Prices May Surprise You Mobility Scooter | Search Ads Learn More Undo MLC Mukesh Sharma, mayor Sushma Kharkwal and Anand Dwivedi also felicitated the ex-servicemen present. Later in the evening, a Mashal Yatra (torch march) was taken out from KD Singh Babu Stadium under the leadership of Dy CM Pathak and Yuva Morcha president Manvendra Singh. According to media in-charge Praveen Garg, the torch rally witnessed participation from BJP functionaries.
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Ajit Pawar visit to Pune reignites Opposition charge of ‘flight' of industries
The spectre of industries, jobs and economic opportunities moving out or away from Maharashtra to other States reared its ahead again on Saturday (July 26, 2025) as a video of Deputy Chief Minister in conversation with a sarpanch from a Pune suburb referenced the issue. Conducting a 6 a.m. surprise visit the Hinjewadi area of the city to review ongoing efforts to tackle civic infrastructure issues that have worsened during the monsoon, Mr. Pawar was heard confronting Hinjewadi sarpanch Ganesh Jambhulkar, 'We are ruined. The entire Hinjewadi IT Park is moving out. It's going out of my Pune, out of Maharashtra, to Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Don't you care at all?' The Deputy CM and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader was referring to the condition of the Rajiv Gandhi Infotech Park in Hinjewadi, spread over 2,800 acres and developed by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation in the mid-1990s, which houses over 800 IT and business entities including majors such as Infosys, Wipro, Cognizant, and Tech Mahindra. The visit came in response to severe waterlogging and traffic chaos during the first spell of monsoon, which had triggered public complaints. Sapkal criticism Following the video going viral, the Congress accused the Mahayuti government of failing to maintain Maharashtra's industrial dominance, citing crumbling infrastructure, corruption and lawlessness. 'The IT industry that once flourished in Hinjewadi during Congress rule is now migrating to Bengaluru and Hyderabad. Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar himself has admitted this,' said Harshvardhan Sapkal, president of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee. Mr. Sapkal questioned Mr. Pawar's dual role as Pune's Guardian Minister and Deputy Chief Minister. 'Was Ajit Pawar asleep while Pune declined? He must take responsibility and resign,' he demanded. Launching a sharp critique of the BJP-led alliance government, he said, 'Basic infrastructure is collapsing, and entrepreneurs are losing faith. As a result, not just existing businesses but even future investments are moving away – largely to Gujarat.' The Maharashtra Congress chief cited the ₹1.6-lakh-crore Vedanta-Foxconn project, which was lost to Gujarat, as an example of 'BJP's administrative failure'. 'If even the Deputy CM acknowledges the flight of industries, the government owes the public a clear explanation,' he said. Hinjewadi's decline In May 2024, the Hinjewadi Industries Association (HIA) had claimed that 37 IT companies moved out from the infotech park over the previous 10 years due to the deteriorating infrastructure and traffic congestion in the locality. A month later, NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule said she would hold meetings with the infotech park companies and convince them to stay back. 'The kind of IT park expansion we see elsewhere, like Bengaluru, has not happened here. We are potentially losing business – companies are reluctant to send their employees to Hinjewadi despite the government's efforts. It will take time to regain their confidence,' said Pawanjit Mane, Maharashtra State president of the Forum for IT Employees (FITE).
