Bhubaneswar: A ‘lungi versus dhoti’ debate emerged in Odisha politics after Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan hit out at Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik for appearing in a video message wearing a lungi. While BJP leaders claimed dhoti was the culture of Odisha and not lungi, those of the BJD highlighted the importance of lungi and how weavers in Sambalpur would benefit from its promotion. Patnaik, in a video message urging people to vote for the ‘conch’ symbol of his party in the simultaneous Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, was seen wearing a blood-red lungi and a white tee shirt. The video was released by the BJD Monday night.
However, Pradhan, while addressing an election rally at Laikera in Jharsuguda district Tuesday, ridiculed Patnaik’s clothing. “You (people) have all seen our Naveen babu, an elderly person, in lungi with ‘joda sankha’ (double conch) in his hand. There is a ‘gumasta’ (clerk) who gets these things done. “At least he should have gotten an elderly person like Naveen babu dressed in pyjama and kurta. I have respect for Naveen babu. Should he have done this to an elderly person?” Pradhan, the BJP candidate for Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat, questioned. BJD reacted sharply as Pradhan’s election speech went viral on social media. Wearing lungi, two BJD spokespersons, Sasmit Patra and Swayam Prakash Mohapatra, addressed a press conference Tuesday, highlighting the importance of lungi and how its promotion would help the weavers of Sambalpur. The next day, Wednesday, Pradhan, during his election campaign, toured Athamallik area in Sambalpur Lok Sabha seat wearing dhoti and kurta. “I received the blessings of Goddess Maheshwari, the presiding deity of Athamallik.
Locals have deep devotion towards the Mother. I am praying to Mother Maheshwari, the all-powerful goddess of the local area, for the fulfilment of everyone’s wishes,” Pradhan wrote on X. He also posted a photograph of him wearing a dhoti and kurta. Asked about the CM’s attire, he told reporters, “It would have been better had he worn dhoti instead of lungi.” Several other BJP leaders argued on social media about dhoti representing the culture of Odisha, and not lungi. Former BJP state president Samir Mohanty shared three images of Pradhan clad in dhoti and kurta, wrote on X, “In Odisha’s Shree Jagannath Culture, we wear dhoti and not lungi. Dhoti is the symbol of Odia pride, identity and culture.”