Niranjan decries State anthem, Rangabati remix

With the Rangabati remix produced by MTV going viral in the social media and protests over copyright and other issues, senior Congress leader Niranjan Patnaik has added a new dimension to the controversy disapproving the singing of the State’s anthem Bande Utkala Janani with Rangabati.In the music video circulating in the social media Rangabati and Bande Utkala Janani have been remixed with beats from other regions.

“The State Assembly has recognised Bande Utkala Janani written and composed by Kanatakabi laxmi Kanta Mohapatra as the State’s song. Since 1912, this anthem was sung in the meetings of the Utkal Sammilani. In all official functions of the State and even in the State Assembly, the State song is being sung with utmost respect,” Patnaik said.

“Disrespecting the national anthem is punishable. The time has come for a law to prevent distortion of the State’s anthem and to make it similarly punishable,” he said.“I am not against artistic freedom and quite see the need to strike a chord with the new generation so that they begin to appreciate Odisha’s folk culture and 

popular music. But what has been produced is a disrespectful rendition of the State’s anthem and that cannot be condoned. Besides, in all such remix the rights of the original artists and the uniqueness of the genre must be respected,” he stated.Patnaik demanded the State Culture Department to intervene in the issue.