Alleging massive irregularities and financial frauds in Odisha, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Sunday observed ‘Bhrastachar Diwas’ (Corruption Day) across the state on the occasion of Panchayati Raj Diwas. Notably, last year Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik announced that Biju Patnaik’s birth anniversary on March 5th will be observed as ‘Panchayati Raj Diwas’ as Patnaik was a supporter of decentralising power to the grass root level. Thousands of BJP workers wore black ribbons/cloth around their necks and hands to mark their opposition to what they called "massive financial frauds" in the state, They also staged dharnas in all 314 blocks across Odisha. The protestors alleged that Odisha has become a breeding ground for corruption with irregularities to the tune of Rs 5,000 crore every year in the Panchayati Raj system.