Odisha to Develop Laxmanananda Saraswati's Birthplace as Heritage Village
· India · Hindustan Times, The Hindu
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced that Gurujang, the birthplace of Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, will be developed as a heritage village, while its gram panchayat will become a model panchayat. The announcement came during an event marking the birth centenary of the VHP leader, who was killed in August 2008 and known for his campaigns against religious conversions in the state's tribal belt. Majhi criticised the previous Biju Janata Dal government for alleged negligence and appeasement politics in handling the seer's murder investigation. He also reiterated claims that investigation reports and files from the Justice Mahapatra and Justice Naidu commissions disappeared from the state secretariat as part of a conspiracy. Laxmanananda Saraswati and four others were killed at Jalespata Kanyashram in Kandhamal district on August 23, 2008, triggering communal violence that resulted in at least 38 deaths and 54,000 displaced people.
Why it matters
The announcement highlights the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's continuing focus on Hindutva issues in Odisha's political landscape, signaling a shift in state cultural and commemorative policies.
Read the original report — Hindustan Times
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