The demand for use of Odia as the official language in the State Governance has gained momentum in Gajapati district’s headquarters here with Odia lovers launching an indefinite movement on Saturday to press for the demand.
The movement was launched at the Samadhi Peetha of Parala Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati.
As part of the movement, people from various walks of life would take out a silent procession from the Samadhi Peetha holding black flags. They would move across the town and gather near the statue of the Parala Maharaja at Bazaar Square to stage silent demonstration to press for the demand.
On the first day, educationist Gourachandra Panda, engineer Meenaketan Das, social activist Bharatbhusan Mohanty, farmer leader Surya Narayan Pattnaik led by noted social worker Purnachandra Mohapatra took out a silent march from the Maharaja Samadhi Peetha and later staged a demonstration before his statue. Many intellectuals and residents welcomed the drive and demanded use of Odia as the official language.