Naveen Patnaik falls ill during Independence Day fete
Mr Patnaik, while reading out his written speech, was seen heavily sweating.
BHUBANESWAR: Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday morning felt ‘mildly unwell’ while delivering his Independence Speech here at Mahatma Gandhi Marg. Mr Patnaik, while reading out his written speech, was seen heavily sweating. His voice got gradually slower as he continued to read out the speech and could not finish his address. Security personnel present on the podium immediately arranged chair for him to take rest. An air-conditioner put on the podium to provide some comfort to the profusely sweating chief minister.
Chief secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi, home secretary Asit Tripathy and police director general K B Singh who were also present near the podium appeared quite worried over the development. The chief secretary Mr Padhi was seen asking the CM if he was feeling alright or needed medical assistance. An ambulance was kept ready to rush him to Capital Hospital. The CM, however, kept sitting on the chair.
After Mr Patnaik felt a little better, he was driven back in his own car to ‘Naveen Niwas,’ his residence, where a team of two doctors from Capital Hospital examined him and declared that the CM was quite alright. Chief Minister’s Office clarified that Mr Patnaik was quite well and he would attend all his official programmes.
“The chief minister felt a bit uncomfortable due to high humidity. He is now quite alright,” said Sukanta Kumar Panda, the public relations officer of the chief minister. In the evening, the chief minister appeared normal and attended the ‘At Home’ ceremony convened at Raj Bhawan by Governor Dr S.C. Jamir. On Tuesday, Bhubaneswar city recorded 31 degree Celsius temperature and an unbearably 73 per cent humidity.