By Purushottam Nayak
Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister of Odisha Navin Patnaik created history on December 22 when he joined a Christmas program in Bhubaneswar, capital of the eastern Indian state.
“This is the first time Patnaik attended a Christmas program organized by the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar,” said Father Santosh Digal, who was until recently the deputy secretary general of the Odisha Catholic Bishops’ Council.
Patnaik, the Odisha politician to become the state chief minister for the fourth time, attended the Christmas program at St. Vincent’s Pro-Cathedral in Bhubaneswar. Around 1,500 people, including state ministers, officials and Church people attended the program.
The chief minister reminded the gathering that Christmas is a gift of love, peace and happiness to be shared with all. “Christmas is a time to be happy and make others to be happy. It is a time of contemplation, peace, joy and harmony,” Patnaik said in his message.
He also said Christmas is “a soul searching time” when people contemplate their relationship with the world. “It is a soul searching time to make a better place of peace and harmony, and love and affection. The message of Christ must make all of us to enlighten within,” he added.
He also said that his government is committed to work for people of religions and cultures. “We all need to respect each other’s religious traditions, live and work together maintaining mutual admiration in Odisha,” he said.
He also pointed out that Odisha, a socially and culturally harmonious land, is traditionally known for mutual cooperation among people of various religions. “Odisha is well aware of the Christians’ presence and concerned about the safety and security of every Christian,” he added.
The initiative to attend the event came from the chief minister, a government source told Matters India.
Chief Minister also acknowledged the selfless service of St. Mother Teresa of Kolkata as well as her great contribution to society.
On September 4, the day the world renowned nun was canonized, the chief minister had renamed a prominent road in the capital city as Mother Teresa Road at the request of Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar.
The archbishop told the Christmas program that Christmas is a festival of hope as it marks the birth of the savior who liberates the entire humanity from fear and anxiety.
“Christmas also is the festival of peace as Jesus Christ, the prince of peace was born to bring peace in our hearts,” the Divine Word prelate added.
The archbishop thanked the chief minister for his “great” interest in the welfare of Christians, who are “negligible minority” in the state.
Among others who shared the dais were Debashis Samantara, legislators from Barabati Cuttack; Priyadarshi Mishra, from Bhubaneswar North and Bijaya Kumar Mohanty from Bhubaneswar Central.
Church of North India Bishop Surendra Kumar Nanda of Cuttack also attended the program.
The Christmas program was held four days after a couple of priests working in Odisha’s Kandhamal district sought police protection for churches during Christmas. The district had seen the worst anti-Christian violence in modern India during Christmas time in 2007. The violence recurred in August 2008, killing nearly 100 people and rendering more than 56,000 homeless.