Bhubaneswar: Following widespread resentment over ‘printing mistakes’ in the New Year diary of the state government, the General Administration Department on Wednesday expressed regret and said that the mistake was unintentional and without any malice.
In the diary, the iconic poem, ‘Manaba Jibana Nuhain Kevala Barsa Masa Dina Danda’ penned by Utkal Gaurav Gopabandhu Das has been attributed to Kabibara Radhanath Ray. This apart, there are mistakes in the poems of other eminent personalities, including Godabarish Mishra, reproduced in the diary.
“There was no intention to insult eminent personalities of the state,” Additional Secretary Abanikanta Patnaik clarified. On Tuesday, the BJP had staged a demonstration and demanded immediate withdrawal of the diary.
BJP spokesperson Pitambar Acharya tweeted, “A government that does not respect Odia culture, literature and language, would obviously make such grave mistakes in the diary. Now our children will read that “Dharmapada” was written by Kabibar Radhanath Ray. Pandit Gopabandhu must be laughing from Heaven.”
Several organisations spearheading the Odia Bhasa (language) movement in the state had also expressed displeasure over the issue.
There is usually a huge demand for the diary, which is now being sold at Rs 150 by the Information and Public Relations Department.
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