The hunger-strike agitation of the activists of Odia Bhasa Sangram Samiti, an organisation fighting for the cause of the Odia language, is gaining momentum with another person joining the fast-unto-death agitation which entered the second day on Thursday.Expressing solidarity to the indefinite fast of three activists, Gajanana Mishra, Madhumita Samal and Sanjib Parida of the Samiti, senior journalist Subhas Patnaik on Thursday joined them at the Mahatma Gandhi Marg and resorted to hunger strike.
Samiti convenor Sankarsan Parida maintained that more people would join the fast-unto-death agitation if the Government fails to enforce the Odisha Official language Act, 1954 at the earliest.Padmashree Debi Prasanna Pattanaik, senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik, renowned poet Ramakanta Rath, former MP Kartikeswar Patra, CPM leader Janardhan pati, Ali Kishore Patnaik, AAP State coordinator Dhanadakanta Mishra, Samajwadi Party State president Rabi Behera also attended the agitation and expressed their support for the strict enforcement of the language Act.