Odisha mourns passing of former Minister Surendranath Naik

Bhubaneswar, July 5: Former Minister and Kakatpur MLA Surendranath Naik, who passed away at his residence in Bhubaneswar late Thursday night, received a guard of honor at the Odisha Assembly premises on Friday.

The mortal remains of the veteran BJD leader were brought to the Odisha Assembly, where Chief Minister Mohan Majhi, Deputy CMs Pravati Parida, and KV Singh Deo, along with many political leaders, paid their respects. Subsequently, his body was taken to Sankha Bhawan, where BJD leaders paid their final respects. Later, his mortal remains were taken to his village before his last rites were performed.

Naik, a seven-time MLA from Kakatpur, had been battling old-age-related ailments for some time. In addition to his legislative roles, he served as the chairman of Astarang Panchayat Samiti from 1960 to 1967.

Sources indicate that Naik's entry into politics was influenced by former Chief Minister Biju Patnaik. He began his political career during his student days, which paved the way for his prominent role as a seasoned politician and leader in Odisha.

Naik faced arrests in 1968 for protesting against a bus fare hike and again in 1975 under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA).