Obscene Dance, Vulgarity In Jatra: Odisha Govt To Issue Guidelines Soon

Bhubaneswar: There will be a complete ban on obscene dance and vulgarity during Jatra shows in Odisha, Odia Language, Literature and Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj told the Assembly on Friday.

Replying to a query by Congress MLA Tara Prasad Bahinipati, the Minister said that the government is preparing a strict guideline in this regard.

BJP member Sanatan Bijuli too demanded a separate law, prohibiting obscene dance to preserve the cultural sanctity of Jatra while ensuring family-friendly entertainment.

Joining the discussion during Zero Hour in the House, Ekamra-Bhubaneswar MLA Babu Singh cited the recent public outage over objectionable performance by a theatre group in Ganjam district. He suggested that such performances should be censored before being staged.

In October, Law Minister Prithiviraj Harichandan had also informed about the government’s plan to introduce rules to check nudity on stage during such shows. “Guidelines will be laid for performances, including dance, appropriate costumes, dialogue delivery and overall presentation. Theatre groups will need to obtain proper licences and undergo regular monitoring,” he said.