CUTTACK: The Orissa High Court on Wednesday issued notice to Odisha Government, Sri Jagannath Temple Administration (SJTA), Bengal State Council of Science and Technology and Intellectual Property Office to submit their response over the dispute on Geographical Indication (GI) status to Rasagola.
Acting on a PIL writ petition filed by Punya Utkal Trust through its organising secretary Susanta and Santosh Kumar Sahoo, publisher-cum-editor of Odia Parba, a division bench of the HC comprising Chief Justice Vineet Saran and Justice BR Sarangi asked the four parties to file their responses. The IPR office at Chennai is represented by its Assistant Registrar (Trade Marks) in the petition.
The petitioners said the application assailed the inaction of Odisha Government in taking steps for applying and obtaining GI registration for Rasagola as per the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999.Quoting eminent scholars on Jagannath Temple culture, they stated that the tradition of Rasagola existed since 12th Century when the present-day temple structure was first built. The Niladri Bije tradition is mentioned in Niladri Mahodaya which dates back to the 15th Century. Several temple scriptures, which are over 300-year-old, provide evidence of Rasagola offering ritual in Puri.
Noted Odia researcher on Jagannath culture and traditions Asit Mohanty the sweet as “Rasagola” in the 15th Century Jagamohana Ramayana of Balaram Das. The text mentions Rasagola, along other sweets found in Odisha. There is also mention of many other cheese-made sweets like Chhenapuri, Chhenaladu and Rasabali. Another ancient text Premapanchamruta of Bhupali also mentions cheese (chhena).
The petitioners requested the HC to call upon opposite parties to show cause, and if they fail to show cause or show insufficient cause, the Odisha Government and SJTA must be asked to take urgent steps to obtain GI status for Rasagola claiming it to be of Odisha and connected with rich culture of Lord Jagananth.
The petition also stated that GI status on Bangalar Rasogulla by IPR office be quashed as it is unjust and illogilcal because stakeholders of Odisha have been deprived of reasonable opportunity of being heard before the order was passed. It should be declared unconstitutional.
Invest Odisha logo lands in controversy
Cuttack: The logo of ‘Invest Odisha’ designed for the ongoing year-long campaign by Odisha Government landed in controversy after a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed in Orissa High Court challenging the design of the logo. Stating that the design and shape of the ‘O’ alphabet used in the logo has hurt the religious sentiments, the petitioner Deben Satyadarshi Nanda of Biragovindpur in Puri had filed the PIL on Tuesday. The PIL had challenged the illegal, arbitrary and wrongful depiction of one eye of Lord Jagannath’s symbolic ‘Chaka Dola’ by the Government of Odisha for the purpose of promoting investment opportunities in the State. “The ‘O’ of Odisha in the logo depicts Lord Jagannath’s eye. It is of the same colour, design and shape. I challenged it since it hurts my religious sentiments,” Nanda explained in his PIL. Accepting the PIL, the division bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice Vineet Saran and Justice Dr BR Sarangi conducted hearing on the case and served notices to Chief Secretary and Industries Secretary and CMD, IPICOL asking them to submit a reply on the alleged matter.