Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is on a visit to Indonesia as part of his 3-nation visit, lauded former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik for his role in Indonesia’s independence movement. PM Modi highlighted how the late Biju Patnaik helped strengthen ties between the two countries through his valour in 1947.
The former Odisha Chief Minister Biju Patnaik, also an ace pilot, played a crucial role during Indonesia’s freedom struggle. Mr Patnaik safely brought Indonesia’s Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir and Vice President Mohammad Hatta to India when they were fighting for independence from the Dutch.
The founder of Biju Janata Dal flew in a Dakota aircraft and rescued Indonesian leadership in 1947. Despite declaration of independence in 1945, Indonesia was still being controlled by the Dutch at the time. When threatened by the Dutch that they will shoot down his aircraft, Biju Patnaik bravely replied that if his aircraft was shot down, no Dutch aircraft would be able to fly across Indian skies.
To honour Biju Patnaik, the Indonesian government conferred on him the country’s highest award ‘Bhoomi Putra’ (Bintang Jasa Utama) and granted him honorary citizenship of the country.
Addressing the Indonesian Parliament in Jakarta, Indian PM Modi recalled Biju Patnaik’s heroic role during their freedom struggle and highlighted how he brought the two nations together.
PM Modi said, “Both our nations gained independence around the same time: Indonesia in 1945 and India in 1947. When it came to sovereignty as independent nations, India became a strong voice in support of Indonesia’s independence movement at the United Nations. The role played by the respected Biju Patnaik during that period- the way he safely brought Prime Minister Sutan Sjahrir and Vice President Mohammad Hatta to India brought the two nations closer.”
This shows that PM Modi is not in Indonesia just to sign business deals, but also to share how the two countries have been bonded together since their respective independence, and of course, late Biju Patnaik played a major role in that.
