The Bharatiya Janata Party in Odisha has planned a grand tribute to Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader who was killed by left-wing extremists in 2008 after being accused of promoting religious hatred.
His assassination triggered one of the worst episodes of communal violence in Kandhamal district.
To mark the birth centenary of Saraswati, Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Friday (August 21, 2026) announced plans to develop Gurujang, the former leader’s birthplace, into a ‘Heritage Village’ and transform the Gurujang Gram Panchayat as a ‘Model Panchayat’.
“Saraswati was not merely an individual, but a great ideal, a remarkable institution and a radiant guide of Sanatan Dharma. In the modern age, he renounced worldly comforts and devoted his life to serving the disadvantaged tribal communities, living in the remote and dense forests of Kandhamal. He established the Chakapada and Jalespata ashrams and a Kanya Gurukul there, providing tribal girls with Sanskrit education and values and helping them become self-reliant,” said Mr. Majhi attending birth centenary celebration.
Besides, the State government had renamed Phulbani Government Medical College as Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati Medical College. In addition, Rs. 13 crore has been sanctioned from the Chief Minister’s Special Assistance (CMSA) fund for the development and heritage conservation of Jalespata Ashram, the Ashram School and Kanyashram.
While ₹5 crore will be spent on a 300-seat hostel for girl students, ₹3 crore will be allocated for heritage-site conservation and a mega river-lift project to provide drinking water.
Recalling the brutal killing of Saraswati on the night of Janmashtami in 2008, Odisha CM strongly criticised alleged failures, negligence and appeasement politics of the then government.
“The disappearance of the reports and files Justice A S Naidu Commission, which had been constituted to investigate high profile murder of VHP leader from Chief Minister’s Office was a deliberate conspiracy to protect the perpetrators,” said Odisha CM.
He assured, “every drop of Swamiji’s blood would receive justice and the truth would certainly be brought to light.”
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s longstanding deep respect for Swamiji’s service and commitment to Sanatan Dharma, the Chief Minister said that Swamiji’s philosophy of Antyodaya—the upliftment of the poorest and most marginalised—is inherent in Prime Minister Modi’s ideal of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas.”
The Chief Minister also called upon the younger generation, particularly Gen Z, to reconnect with their foundational education, culture, the Vedas, Sanskrit, cow protection and Sanatani traditions, and to participate in nation-building with patriotism and courage.
Odisha Legislative Assembly Speaker Surama Padhy and former Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan recalled Saraswati’s spiritual and social contributions. Mr. Pradhan expressed his gratitude to CM for declaring Saraswati’s birthplace, Gurujang, a ‘Heritage Village’ and the Gurujang Panchayat a ‘Model Panchayat’. Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water Minister Ravi Narayan Naik and MPs and MLAs were present on the occasion.
Left parties had expressed strong reservation on Odisha government’s naming of Phulbani Government Medical College after Saraswati. They termed departed soul as a divisive person.
“A government medical college and hospital is a public service institution dedicated equally to people of all religions, castes, communities, and classes and its naming should reflect a personality who commands universal respect across society and whose life embodies the ideals of humanity, social harmony, and public welfare,” said communist Party of India (Marxist), the Communist Party of India (CPI), CPI (ML)-Liberation, and the All India Forward Bloc in a joint statement issued earlier,
“Associating the name of Laxmanananda Saraswati with a government institution is likely to rekindle memories of long-standing communal tensions in Kandhamal and other parts of Odisha. There have been serious social and political controversies surrounding his activities for many years,” CPI (M) State Secretary Suresh Panigrahi had said. In 2009, the Biju Janata Dal had severed ties with BJP over communal violence.
Published – August 22, 2026 07:38 am IST
