BHUBANESWAR: Second death anniversary of Swami Laxmananand Saraswati was observed all over the State as Balidan Divas on September 2. Various activities were conducted across the State to pay tribute to the saint who had dedicated his entire life for the upliftment of Vanvasis. Thousands of people thronged Jaleshpata and Chakapada Ashram in Kandhmal district to pay homage to Vedanta Kesari Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati who was gunned down on Janmashtami day in 2008. Seven days Bhagavat Yajna was conducted in Jaleshpata Ashram while Ashta Prahari Sankintarn was organised in more than one thousand villages of Kandhmal district.
VHP State unit staged a silent dharna in front of the Raj Bhavan in Bhubaneswar and submitted a memorandum to Governor requesting him to nab the conspirators and killers of renowned saint at the earliest. “Two years have passed since the murder of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, Bhaktimayee Mata and three others at Jaleshpata Kanyashram in Kandhamal. But the Naveen Patnaik-led Odisha government is yet to nab the killers and conspirators,” said state VHP general secretary Gouri Prasad Rath. “Chief Minister had given us written assurance to arrest the murderers and conspirators. But no action has been taken so far. Instead of arresting the real culprits, the administration booked some innocent Vanvasis in various false cases. Therefore thousands of Vanvasis are forced to live in forest to avoid their arrest. The administration should stop this atrocity on the Vanvasis,” Shri Rath said.
(By Samanwaya Nanda)
