Nabarangpur:
Some of the citizens of town organized a protest rally in the late night by blocking NH 201 on Sunday. Later on Monday witnessed a band in pretest against the proposed beauty contest during Mondei-2011. Some of the business establishments remained closed while vechicular movement was slender during the bandh. In the protest leaders of different political parties including Nabarangpur MP Pradip Majhi sat on dharna opposing the beauty contest. Majhi's dharna was supported by former MP Prasuram Majhi, Zilla Parisad President Bhagirathi Nayak and many others
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The District Cultural Festival has landed in a controversy over a decision by the administration to conduct beauty contests separately for young girls and married women. Different organisations demanded halt to the competition. It was also echoed during a recent Zilla Parisad meeting in which Vice-president Manjula Majhi opposed the competition saying it was not the culture of tribal women. Cutting across party lines leaders of Congress, BJP and BJDÂ also sat on a dharna to in protest against the proposed beauty contest. Meanwhile, in a press conference held at Raj Jagannathpur, under Nandahandi block IT minister Ramesh Chandra Majhi, said the contest is cancelled due to protests. Municipal Chairman, Prahalad Tripathy, demanded action agaist the agitators those who demolished the property of poor persons in the daily market. The district administration proposed to organize beauty contest for the first time during the Mondei festival but it was not final said Collector Mr.Sibabrata Dash. Most unfortunately the people some of them are also the members of the district council of culture without knowing the fact blocked the NH and called a band without discussing with the district administration added Mr.Dash. Municipal Chairman, Prahalad Tripathy, demanded stringent action against the agitators those who demolished the property of the poor persons in the daily market.
