Demolition of Damodar Rout’s Statue Before Unveiling Spawns Controversy
An outrage has broken out in Odisha’s Paradip after the statue of Damodar Rout, who was once a minister, was destroyed even before its unveiling ceremony. The demolition occurred in the Shiali coastal area of Erasama, the native place of the late leader, shocking and angering the people living there.
The statue was supposed to be inaugurated at 4 PM on the 26th in Shiali Bali Jatra Committee near the beach in the coastal region. Everything had been set up, with the placement of the plaque and sending of invitations to many important leaders. But before that, the forest department officials visited the spot and destroyed the statue using hammers and other implements.
The officials have justified the destruction by saying that the plot on which the statue was constructed comes under forest land. But when asked to explain more, they refused to do so.
The act has caused a great uproar in Erasama and surrounding regions. There have been serious doubts about the act, particularly since there are other buildings and monuments around the region. The construction has been described as a slap in the face of Damodar Rout, who had served the area for several years and played a major role in its development.
MP of Jagatsinghpur, Bibhu Prasad Tarai, has expressed his anger on the issue and declared that he will bring the matter before the attention of the Chief Minister. He referred to the demolition as unacceptable and demanded explanations.
The situation has become a political one, with calls for explanation from the government authorities growing louder every day.
