Bhubaneswar: Demanding permission to conduct opera shows with at least 2,000 spectators, opera artistes under the banner of ‘Jatra Kalakar O Karmachari Sangha’ launched an indefinite fast unto death protest at Lower PMG here Monday.
Their demands include permission for organising opera shows with 2,000 spectators and a meeting with the government to discuss their 12 demands they had raised earlier.
The protesting artistes said that the government had sent them a letter November 20, 2019 informing them that it would discuss their 12 demands. But the government is yet to call them for a discussion.
They said lakhs of opera artistes and technicians have been living a difficult life since the outbreak of COVID-19. The pandemic has snatched away their sole source of earning. In the February unlock guidelines, the government has allowed organizing shows with a capacity of 500 spectators. But the local administrations are not allowing them to organise shows citing law and order problems.
“We urge the government to take our two demands into consideration and take a favourbale decision as earliest as possible. We will continue our dharna till our demands are fulfilled,” they said.