Bhadrak: Social activist Laxmidhar Biswal launched a sit-in protest here Tuesday exactly at the same location where a statue of ‘Kantakabi’ Laxmikant Mohapatra had been erected. ‘Kantakabi’ Laxmikant Mohapatra, penned, the ‘Bande Utkal Janani’, the state anthem of Odisha.
The activist alleged that official apathy had led to the destruction of the statue. Biswal also pointed out that the Odisha government has been neglecting Bhadrak town, the birthplace of ‘Kantakabi’. He urged the government to reinstall the poet’s statue at the same location.
Till two years back, the statue of ‘Kantakabi’ was the most prominent feature at the Bhadrak Bypass Chowk. However, miscreants stole the entire statue by breaking it in parts in 2018. They carried out their nefarious activities in the dead of the night.
Biswal said he would continue his ‘dharna’ till reinstallation of ‘Kabikanta’s’ statue. Locals said that they have been raising the same demand for the last couple of years. However, all their appeals have fallen on deaf ears of officials belonging to the district administration.
It should be mentioned here that May 30 the entire populace of Odisha sang ‘Bande Utkal Janani’ to honour the frontline warriors involved in the fight against coronavirus in the state. They did so following an emotional appeal by Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
PNN