Over 1,000 Kirtan artists (Kirtaniyas) belonging to 100 Mandalis (troupes) from Dhenkanal district organised a rally here on Monday demanding fulfilment of their nine-point charter of demands. They submitted a memorandum containing the demands for the Chief Minister to Dhenkanal ADM Susama Rani Devi.
The rally originated from Baji Chouk at 11 am and moved towards the Collectorate led by advisor the association and farmer leader Debashish Hota, besides association president Duryodhan Jena and leaders Devraj Mohanty and Abhimanyu Rout.
Their demands included decreasing the age limit for artist pension from 60 years to 50 years, providing land for an office of the artists’ Mahasangh at Bhubaneswar, creating a welfare fund for the Kirtaniyas, patronage to artists by hiring them in various Government cultural programmes, financial assistance for the development of the troupes, transport pass and health insurance to the artists and establishing a Sankirtan Education Centre at the State capital.