The members of Sanskarbadi, a city-based socio-cultural organization, led by its president and social activist Trinath Maharana staged demonstration holding placards and chanting slogans in front of the on-going “Handicraft Banijya Mela” venue at Church Ground near Old Mango Market here on Saturday.
They demanded use of Odia name plates and boards by the Government and commercial establishments as well as in all places of public importance.
Addressing the mediapersons on the reason for such demonstration, Maharana said that though his organization had requested and cautioned the organizers and event managers of the handicraft mela right from the first day to use Odia in all the boards, name plates, advertisement contents, including boards fixed on the main grate and stages, they just did not pay any heed.
“Today’s demonstration is to protest the anti-Odia culture of the organizers and to sensitize the public to make Odia language more popular by its widespread use,” said Maharana. He also made an appeal to local elected representatives to cooperate with them.
Among others, Shyamsundar Khadanga, Pratap Chandra Panda, Dhruba Charan Sethi, Gopal Satapathy, Dandapani Sahu, Sahadev Patra, lambodar Sahu, RK Mondal and scores of intellectuals and social activists participated.