Activists pull down posters on Odisha Day

Ayaskant Das Published On : Apr 1, 2016 at 9:42 PM

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Bhubaneswar, Apr 1:

While people across the state and elsewhere celebrated the foundation day of the state, members of a fringe outfit today pulled down advertising posters protesting the portrayal of nudity in the outdoor advertisements alleging that it is corroding the Odia culture.

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The activists ‘Samaj Andolan’ this morning also staged demonstrations at several places protesting the use of English instead of Odia in government offices as medium of written communication.

“Bhubaneswar is going to be a Smart City soon. But, the culture is degrading. The farmers are being exploited. The non-Odia industrialists are doing business here. They are portraying nude pictures to sell their products. We call upon the Odia youth to save the culture, fight to ban liquor and oppose vulgarity,” an activist said.

The activists wore posters in which ‘Aama Sanskruti Aamar Shakti. Garba Re Kuha Aame Odia’ was written on it.

“We are protesting the use of English instead of Odia. Besides, we are protesting the nudity being portrayed in the advertisements and billboards in the city,” Anusuya Patra, an activist said.

The members of the outfit also staged demonstration in front of top police personnel and government officers.

However, police prevented the activists while they were approaching the official quarters of ADG cum Director Intelligence Sunil Roy. The cops arrested the agitators.

The Twin City Commissionerate police took over a dozen activists into preventive custody.

It may be recalled that the outfit had resorted to such protest last year too and at least five members of it were taken into custody.

Black paint container and brush in hand, the members of the outfit shouted slogans, smudged the name-plates with a thin film of paint and pasted a slip of paper in Odia on every display plate asking to use Odia.

The agitators blackened sign boards in government office and name plates written in English outside government quarters in the city to register their protest.

odia protest