Pravat Tripathy, a senior Biju Janata Dal (BJD) politician and a former Banki MLA, accused the Cuttack district administration of corruption and financial irregularities during this year’s Bali Yatra.
Despite the fact that the largest fair in Odisha ended with the best sales ever reported, the BJD leader has accused Bali Yatra’s organisers of massive financial irregularities and demanded that the state government conduct a special audit to determine the carnival’s actual revenue and expenses.
After a two-year break, the Bali Yatra returned on November 8 with considerable fanfare, and it concluded on November 17 at Gadgadia ghat in Cuttack.In a press conference on Friday, Tripathy criticised the district government for making an arbitrary decision about the Bali Yatra. He also objected to Naveeen Bhajan being sung on the Bali Yatra stage.
Speaking to the media, Tripathy stated, “After a two-year hiatus, the historic Bali Yatra honouring the prosperous maritime trade of Odisha was held. Being the General Secretary of the Maha Nagar Shanti Committee and the Puja Committee, I would like to suggest that the Bali Yatra, which is about to be designated as a national festival, be run directly under the direction of the state government beginning the following year.
He said, “In the past, decisions for the successful performance of Bali Yatra were made jointly by representatives of the people, senior political figures, members of the Maha Nagar Puja Committee, and members of the Shanti Committee. People no longer worry about making a decision as a group. The so-called bureaucrats choose the attendees, award winners, and stage performers. Politicization of the Pathotsav. It was improper to use the Bali Yatra stage to promote a particular party.
“As the secretary of the Cuttack Maha Nagar Puja Committee, a former Banki MLA, and of course a resident of Cuttack, I am urging the state government to order special audit into the revenue and expenditure of Bali Yatra, 2022,” he continued.
The intellectuals did not appreciate Abinash Mohanty’s performance of “He Naveen Babu Ame Tama Fan” on a stage during Bali Yatra as general secretary of the BJD student wing.The song praising Naveen Patnaik caused a stir, with intellectuals criticising Mohanty for utilising the Bali Yatra to advance a specific political party.