CPI leader Prof. Abani Kumar Baral, in addressing the celebrations of birth centenary of Vir Baisnav Charan Pattanayak at Bhubaneswar on 29 April 2013, has demanded that Kamakshyanagar be re-named Madhi, in memory of the freedom that Pattanayak had given it in leading the people’s war against the tyrant king of the ex-state of Dhenkanal.
The legendary leader of Prajamandal movement had declared war against the king of Dhenkanal and in that war, Madhi was liberated from the pernicious control of the king. So, in the history of India’s freedom movement, Madhi has a unique place. But the shrewd tyrant had wiped out the name of this historic place by changing its name from Madhi to Kamakshyanagar by the name of his son, before abdicating his throne.
Continuance of this name is an insult to the sacred memories of Vir Baisnav as well as to the martyrs this battle had given to the motherland, he pointed out while demanding that the name of Kamakshyanagar be changed back to Madhi.
CPI(M) leader Sivaji Pattanayak, Ex-Minister Prafulla Ghadei, MLA Prafulla Malik, MLA Navin Nanda and Minister Rajanikant Singh also agreed that Kamakshyanagar should be changed to Madhi in view of its historic uniqueness. Jogesh Chandra Tripathy presided over the meeting.