Odisha govt names medical college after slain VHP leader Laxmananda Saraswati

BHUBANESWAR: The Odisha government on Tuesday named the state-run medical college and hospital at Phulbani in Kandhamal district after VHP leader Swami Laxmananda Saraswati, who was assassinated in 2008, amid protest from Left parties. A notification by the Health and Family Welfare department was issued a day after Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi made an announcement in this regard.

"After careful consideration, the government has been pleased to name the new Government Medical College and Hospital, Phulbani, as Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati Government Medical College and Hospital, Phulbani," the notification read.

Saraswati and his four associates were gunned down at Jaleshpeta Ashram in Kandhamal district on August 23, 2008, during Janmashtami celebrations, leading to widespread violence that resulted in 40 deaths. At that time, the BJD-BJP coalition was in power in the state.

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A govt medical college is for people of all religion: Left parties

"In order to keep alive the memory of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati of Kandhamal and in recognition of his service and sacrifice for the tribal people of the district, CM Majhi decided to name the government medical college and hospital in Phulbani after Saraswati," the CMO had said in a statement on Monday.

Left parties criticised the decision, claiming that this would "revive memories of the communal divisions that have persisted for many years in Kandhamal and other parts of Odisha".

A government medical college and hospital is a public institution dedicated equally to people of all religions, castes and communities, four Left parties -- the CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML) Liberation and the Forward Bloc -- said in a joint statement.

"Therefore, it should be named after a person who enjoys universal respect across society and whose life reflects the ideals of humanity, social harmony, and public welfare," it said. The parties said that the institute could have been named after 19th-century tribal leader Chakra Bisoi, who organised the Kandh Adivasis of the Ghumusar-Kandhamal region and led a prolonged armed resistance against British rule.

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'Govt spending public money to promote particular ideology'

He dedicated his life to defending the people's land, forests, water, culture, and dignity, they said. The Left also opposed the state government's decision to allocate Rs 13 crore for the development of Saraswati's ashram. "Spending public money to promote any particular ideology is inconsistent with the fundamental principles of a secular and democratic constitutional system," they said.

The main opposition party, Biju Janata Dal, described the government's decision as a "drama". "What was the government doing in the last two years? It suddenly woke up to respect Saraswati," BJD spokesperson Lenin Mohanty said.

The ruling BJP, on the other hand, thanked the state government and the chief minister for naming the medical college hospital after Saraswati and providing Rs 13 crore to his ashram.

Addressing a press conference here, BJP general secretary Biranchi Narayan Tripathy also hailed the decision to order a CID probe into the disappearance of the inquiry commission report on the assassination of Saraswati and the subsequent communal violence.