Bhubaneswar: The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) has criticised the Odisha government after Hockey India issued a show-cause notice to the Odisha Hockey Association, asking why its status should not be downgraded from a permanent member to an associate member.

At a press conference at Sankha Bhawan here today, the BJD questioned what changed over the past two years to prompt Hockey India to take such a step. The party alleged that the notice reflected the state government's failure to protect Odisha's importance in Indian hockey.

Former Sports Minister and Kakatpur MLA Tusharkanti Behera and BJD spokesperson Dr Lenin Mohanty criticised the government's alleged neglect of hockey in the state. The party described the development as an insult to Odia pride, saying, "This is not Odia Asmita."

Highlighting Odisha's contribution to the sport, the BJD said hockey had become an emotion for the people of the state. It credited former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's leadership for taking hockey to new heights in Odisha and across the country.

The party pointed out that Odisha had hosted the Men's Hockey World Cup twice during Patnaik's tenure and also served as a sponsor of the Indian Hockey Team. These initiatives helped establish Odisha as a major centre for the sport and earned the state national and international recognition, the BJD said.

The party alleged that the BJP government's approach to hockey over the past two years has affected the quality and development of the sport in Odisha. It argued that the show-cause notice raised serious questions about the present government's handling of hockey-related affairs.

BJD urged Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and Sports Minister Suryabanshi Suraj to intervene in the matter and take immediate steps to protect the Odisha Hockey Association's permanent membership status.