CUTTACK: Indecent portrayal of the one of the most popular prayers in Oriya,`Ahe dayamaya biswabihari’ that is integral part of every Government school in the State, in a music album has come under judicial scanner with a PIL moved in the Orissa High Court today.
Filed by city-based Utkal Bidyarthi Abhijaan through its secretary advocate Nishikant Mishra, the petition has sought directions for regulation on use of devotional songs and prayers in the music albums and taking action against those involved in distorting them to the extent of vulgarity.
Petitioner Mishra stated before the court that the prayer has been written by poet Ramakrushna Nanda and published by Sahitya Sopan during 1933-34. The devotional song was inspired by Utkalmani Gopabandhu Das and Mahatma Gandhi.
After Independence, the song was adopted as the prayer in Government schools in the State and generations after generations have grown up with this prayer in their hearts. It is also sung as the only Oriya prayer in Sabarmati Ashram today.
He alleged that recently a cassette company has portrayed the prayer, held in deep reverence by the multitude of the population, in an extremely inappropriate manner. This has hurt the sentiments of the people.
Making the Culture and PR Department along with Doordarshan as parties in the case, the petitioner alleged that despite protests the Government has not taken any action against the producers.
He has pleaded the Court to direct immediate action against the production company and prohibit telecast of the song in any TV channel and ban sales of the VCDs of the album.
The Government should also be directed to formulate laws to regulate use of religious and devotional songs and prayers in commercial albums.