Odisha may accord state song status to 'Bande Utkala Janani'
Bhubaneswar, June 23: The Odisha government on Saturday said it would take a call on according the state song status to 'Bande Utkala Janani' after studying the policies of neighbouring states.
"Bande Utkala Janani song is adored by every Odia. It is played in the Assembly and in public meetings. The government will take a decision to accord state song status to it after studying the policy and the status of state song given by other states," said Culture and Tourism Minister Ashok Chandra Panda.
The demand has also come from various cultural organisations and opposition parties in the state, including Former Speaker Sarat Kar, senior Congress leader Suresh Routray, and Former MP Baijayant Panda
On Friday several protesters under the banner of 'Ame Odia' organisation had staged a demonstration seeking the state song status to 'Bande Utkala Janani' which is written by Kantakabi Laxmikanta Mohapatra.
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Former minister C M Ibrahim announces to launch new regional party for Karnataka
Kalaburagi: Two years after being expelled from the Janata Dal (Secular), former minister C.M. Ibrahim has announced that he will launch a new regional political party in Karnataka on January 24, reported Deccan Herald.
Speaking at a meeting organised by the Nava Karnataka Nirmana Andolana in Kalaburagi on Sunday, Ibrahim confirmed the birth of the new party.
The 77-year-old politician stated he would soon be meeting with other like-minded individuals to choose a symbol for the party.
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Ibrahim emphasised that the organisation would be guided by the principles of 12th-century social reformer Basavanna and the architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr. B. R. Ambedkar.
A veteran politician, Ibrahim served as Union Civil Aviation Minister during the tenure of H.D. Deve Gowda as Prime Minister and later headed the Karnataka unit of the Janata Dal (Secular). He was expelled from the JD(S) in 2023 on charges of anti-party activities.
His exit from the party followed sharp differences over the JD(S) decision to ally with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). As the then state president of the JD(S), Ibrahim had publicly criticised the alliance, claiming it was finalised without his knowledge. He had also reportedly convened meetings of his supporters and expressed support for the INDIA bloc.
