Bhubaneswar (KCN BUREAU), March 17:
Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday paid rich tributes to former Union Minister Debendra Pradhan on the occasion of his first death anniversary at the OUAT Auditorium in Bhubaneswar. Dr. Pradhan was the father of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, newly elected Rajya Sabha Member Manmohan Samal, several Members of Parliament (MPs), Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), and thousands of workers and supporters of the Bharatiya Janata Party gathered to pay their respects to the veteran leader, who was widely known for his selfless dedication to the cause of Odisha.
Addressing the large gathering, Rajnath Singh described late Dr. Pradhan as a humble leader and a committed contributor who laid the foundation of the BJP in Odisha and envisioned a developed state. He added that his son, Dharmendra Pradhan, is carrying forward his father’s legacy of public service.
Dr. Pradhan, who passed away at the age of 84, served as a Member of the 12th and 13th Lok Sabha from the Deogarh constituency.
Recalling his contributions, Mr Singh said Dr. Pradhan had played a significant role in the Ram Mandir movement. Born on July 16, 1941, in Dhenkanal district of Odisha, he worked extensively for the welfare of the poor and marginalized sections of society during the tenure of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Singh further said that under the able leadership of Manmohan Samal, the BJP has witnessed a saffron surge in Odisha. Praising Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, he stated that the Odisha government is moving steadily towards economic progress, with the visionary goal of transforming the state into a USD 500-billion economy by 2036 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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