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Literary body threatens stir

BHUBANESWAR: The resentment in the literary circles over appointment of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) leader Hussain Rabi Gandhi as the president of the Orissa Sahitya Akademi and Chandra Sekhar Das Burma, related to a senior BJD leader, as the apex literary body’s vice-president has snowballed into a State-wide stir.

Opposing ‘political appointment’ in the key positions of this prestigious and autonomous literary body of the State, several eminent writers have threatened to initiate a State-wide stir if the government does not keep the Akademi free of political influences. On Thursday night, these literary luminaries had an emergency meeting in the Capital to deliberate on the issue and devise a strategy to protest the arbitrary decision of the government.

With Lekhak Sammukshya (prominent literary body) president Satakadi Hota in chair, the writers resolved to submit memorandum to the Governor and Chief Minister to revoke the appointments and stop political appointments in cultural bodies. The meeting further decided to intensify the stir if the government does not respond to the people’s sentiments.

Among others who attended the meeting were well-known writers Brajanath Rath, Bibhuti Patnaik, Orissa Women Writers’ Forum president Binapani Mohanty and secretary Sakuntala Baliarsingh, professor Nityananda Satpathy, Barendra Krushna Dhal, Bhupen Mohapatra and Professor Adikanda Sahoo.

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