Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Sambalpur, Jul 8:

Reflecing the fast spreading outrage over the remixed version of cult Sambalpuri folk song ‘Rangabati’ produced by Coke Studio-MTV, a police complaint was filed against singers Sona Mohapatra and Rituraj Mohanty in Odisha’s Sambalpur town today.

Photo Courtesy: firstpost.com Photo Courtesy: firstpost.com

The district vice president of Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), the youth wing of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), today lodged a written complaint against Sona and Rituraj at the Town Police Station here today accusing them of tampering with the original version of the popular song.

“They have made mincemeat of the song. The entire meaning of the song has changed. They have presented the song in a distorted way,” Ashwini Kumar Majhi, the complainant said.

“We are examining the complaint. We would look into the legal aspect and take necessary action,” Sushil Kumar Panigrahi, ASP, Sambalpur said.

Earlier, the lyricist Mitrabhanu Gauntia and music director Prabhudatta Pradhan of the original version of the ‘Rangabati’ had filed a defamation suit for Rs 1 crore and served legal notices on Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages Pvt Ltd, Hindustan Coca Cola Holdings Pvt Ltd, Viacom 18 Media Pvt Ltd, composer Ram Sampath and singers Sona Mohapatra and Rituraj Mohanty for copyright violation.

“Not only have they not taken permission from us; they have made mincemeat of the original song,” Mitrabhanu Gauntia, the lyricist of the original song, had said.

“It has hurt the feelings of not just me and others involved with the song, but the people of the entire area. No one has the right to fiddle with folk traditions and culture,” Jitendra Haripal, who shot into national and even international fame for his rendition of the song, had said.