The AMOFOI celebrated its 39th anniversary and the 72nd Human Rights Day here with its president Manas Jena in the chair.
While releasing book, “Priestless Love Marriage By AMOFOI and Hindu Marriage Act, 1955 Are Poles Apart”, former Finance Minister Panchanan Kanungo as chief guest observed that the AMOFOI has been doing a commendable job for the last 39 years.
Speaking on the occasion, Political Scientist Dr KP Padhi opined that the continuance of the caste system has been principally there because of “vote bank politics” practised by most of the political parties of India.
While presenting the annual report of MOFOI for the year 2018-19, its founder-secretary B Ramchandra CST Voltaire pointed out that 573 priest-less love marriages were conducted by AMOFOI.
The allegations brought against AMOFOI are totally unfounded, he told.
Others who spoke on the occasion included Prof Bijay Bohidar, MS Yadav, Harish Chandra Kar, Swapna Bijayini, writer Dr Nirmala Kumari Mohapatra and atheist Odia Poet Dr Banamali Barik.