The Collector along with SP B Gangadhar were reportedly seen sporting the T-shirts during a mini marathon organised by the Mayurbhanj Special Development Council.

Bhubaneswar MP Aparajita Sarangi, a former IAS officer who has been slamming the state government over a bureaucrat calling the shots, strongly disapproved the Mayurbhanj collector wearing such a T-shirt. “Very unfortunate as well as ridiculous! Collector, Mayurbhanj, Odisha! Degeneration of the official standards to this extent. These officials must know that season is not the same always,” she wrote on X.

Later speaking to media, BJP vice president Lekhasri Samantsinghar also slammed Mayurbhanj Collector and SP for wearing BJD‘s T-shirts with CM‘s logo. “This is a display of disregard for constitutional values. The collector must be aware that it is against the conduct rules to express allegiance to any particular party. There is a strict separation of powers between the legislative, executive, and judiciary in the Constitution.” she said.

The BJP leader said that the officers are sending a wrong signal to the society, particularly youth who look up to them as role models. “I would like to tell Vineet Bharadwaj that he has a long career ahead of him and there is no guarantee that the BJD will continue to remain in power. Therefore, he should concentrate on his job and not engage in party activities. I also hope that he realises that he has committed a grave mistake by wearing that T-shirt,” she said.

Lekhasri added that by involving government officials in such activities, the BJD has also indicated that it no longer trusts its party workers. 

Notably, Aparajita too had earlier accused the ruling BJD of engaging government officials in party programmes. She tweeted about a government official addressing a Biju Yuva Janata Dal (BYJD) meeting and also shared a video of master book keepers of Self Help Groups (SHG) taking oath to ‘obey’ a BJD MLA.

Last month, she raised the use of helicopter by 5T secretary V K Pandian, a 2000-batch IAS officer, to travel 30 km to 40 km from the state capital. She also disapproved of officers taking on the mantle of an elected representative. “The MPs and MLAs are not visible and the Chief Minister is under house arrest,” she had alleged, stepping up her attack on the ruling dispensation.

On June 28, she along with BJP Odisha unit president Manmohan Samal had lodged a complaint with the DoPT against the Odisha cadre officer whom they accused of clearly violating the Conduct Rules for the All India Service (AIS) personnel by conducting public meetings and announcing new government schemes.

The saffron party also alleged that the ministers, MLAs and MPs of ruling BJD have accepted the slavery of the bureaucrat.

In his defence, the collector told the media that it was a government event.

“I am glad that the wishes of sevayats of the temple and the residents of Ekamra Khetra have been fulfilled. Grateful to Minister G Kishan Reddy & ASI for honouring our request,” she added.

Notably, the Gazette notification to bring Kapileshwar Temple to the Protected Monument list of ASI for the better upkeep and preservation of the structure was issued on May 5. The Ministry of Culture had then sought any objection or suggestion to the declaration within 2 months.

The latest notification stated that no objection was received from the public to the making of such declaration by the central government. “Therefore, in exercise of the powers conferred by sub-section (3) of section 4 of the said Act, the Central Government hereby declares that the Kapileshwar Temple, District Khurda, State Odisha, specified in the Schedule
and site plan annexed hereto, to be an ancient monument of national importance.”

Also Read: Learn From Aparajita Sarangi, BJD Snubs Dharmendra Pradhan Over ASI Protection To ASI Protection To Kapileswar Temple…

This living temple is currently being maintained by Kapileshwar Temple Trust Board. The temple is situated within the precinct along with 33 other monuments on the northern embankment of Manikarnika tank.

According to legends, this is the birthplace of sage Kapila, who is considered as the father of Sankhya Philosophy. He is also considered as the brain child of Brahma, an incarnation of Vishnu and lord Shiva himself. Hence, the presiding deity came to be called as Kapileswar.

Notably, there are 80 centrally protected monuments and structures under ASI in Odisha and 21 among them, including Lingaraj Temple and Mukteshwara Temple, are in Bhubaneswar.