Politics over the Sanskruti Bhavan here has hotted up. Even as the dispute over installation of a statue of poet Gangadhar Meher recently has not died down, the situation has now taken a new turn.
While the district BJP, intellectuals and other organisations were demanding the Sanskruti Bhavan to be named after Kabisamrat Upendra Bhanja and installation of statues of other legends, the Ballabh Bhai Patel Bahumukhi Sangh has named the bhavan after Upendra Bhanja.
The activists of the Sangh put up a signage Upendra Bhanja Sanskruti Bhavan in the entrance of the institution and shouted slogans in favour of the poet.
Sangh president Ramakumar Patro, Sanjay Dash, Kiran Kumar Swain, Ganesh Sahu, Sarat Nayak, Sandesh DashSankar Rao, Jagannath Nayak, Prashant Padhy and many other activists took part in the proramme.
Notably, the Bhavan ‘s construction was demanded in 2003 to showcase the heritage of south Odisha and the shortage of auditorium in the city.
After the State Government approval its construction started in 20016, later, it was inaugurated but it could not be dedicated to the people.
Recently, Culture Minister Ashok Panda inaugurated it and unveiled the statue of Gangadhar Meher.
This triggered resentment among the people, who alleged that the installation of Meher’s statue instead of Upendra Bhanja is playing with their feelings.
During the statue’s inaugural ceremony, the BJP activists protested and gheraoed the RDC’ Office.