Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government on Friday cleared the air on ‘National Maritime Heritage Festival’ status to Bali Jatra at Cuttack.
“There is no provision to accord national recognition to any festival, celebration and fair,” Odia Language, Literature & Culture Minister Suryabanshi Suraj told the Assembly while replying to a query by BJP MLA Kanhai Charan Danga.
The Kantamal MLA had sought information on steps taken by the state government to push for a national fair status to the fair held on the banks of the Mahanadi every year to commemorate the tradition of seafaring activities of Odia mariners.
It was in 2019 that the then Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had first sought recognition for the large open fair at the national level so that the daring initiatives of the seafaring ancestors are duly acknowledged, after recognising it as a state-level festival. The demand has since been made every single year.
There was a brief celebration in February this year after some media outlets reported that Bali Jatra has now been tagged as a ‘national festival’ on the basis of the Union Minister Shekhawat’s written reply in the Rajya Sabha. However, it was short lived as there was no mention of granting national status to the festival, instead the reply only highlighted the historical significance behind the annual celebration.
The Union Ministry of Culture later clarified that the matter does not fall under its jurisdiction and would require the consideration of the Prime Minister.
Also Read: Cuttack Bali Jatra Yet To Receive National Fair Status
In 2023 too, the Union Ministry of Culture had asked the Odisha government to approach the ‘competent authority’ for National Maritime Heritage Festival status to Bali Jatra,
Also Read: Odisha’s Demand For Natl Maritime Heritage Tag To Cuttack Bali Jatra’s Stuck In Technical Maze