No obscene dances or you will face 'lathi': Odisha BJP MLA warns 'jatra' shows
Bhubaneswar (PTI): A ruling BJP MLA in Odisha has warned 'Jatra' groups that action would be taken against them if they perform any obscene dance at the upcoming Khandagiri Mahotsav and Kharavela Mela in Bhubaneswar.
The annual Khandagiri Mahotsav and Kharavela Mela begins at Khandagiri Hills on 'Magha Saptami' every year where 'Jatra' groups from different parts of the state perform. This time around 13 'Jatra' groups will perform at the mahotsav which will begin from Wednesday.
BJP MLA from Ekamra-Bhubaneswar Babu Singh and around 100 people including women on Monday took a pledge before Goddess Barabhuja (Maa Durga) at the Khandagiri hills in the city to protest any kind of obscene dance during Jatra shows at the mela.
Singh said initially 100 people including women have taken the pledge to oppose obscene performance by certain jatra groups. "If required, we will use lathi against persons performing obscene dance in jatra shows," he told reporters.
"We are determined to protect our culture and Odia heritage. Khandagiri Kumbh Mela and Kharawela Mahotsav will be celebrated with great pomp this year. Today, we took a resolution to protect our culture by offering prayers to Maa Barabhuja," the lawmaker said, adding that they have launched a special drive against obscene and vulgar performances in public places.
The BJP MLA appealed to jatra groups and artists to refrain from obscene performances or else 'thengas' (lathi) will be used against them.
The activists armed with long wooden sticks will camp at Khandagiri and keep a close vigil on jatra groups and take action against the organisers and artists if they resort to any vulgarity, he said.
Asked whether he is not taking the law into his own hands, Singh said: "First I am an Odia and then an MLA. I will fight for the protection of my great Odia culture. The people who will indulge in unsocial activities will be punished."
Meanwhile, the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) has issued a strict warning and advised the organisers to conduct jatras and plays without hurting the public sentiments.
"There is no place of obscenity or vulgarity in public," said BMC commissioner Rajesh P Patil.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
