HC jolt to new version of Odia grammar primer

The Orissa High Court today slapped an interim stay on the publication of a new version of the Odia primer by a state-run organisation.
A Division Bench of the vacation court comprising Justice Biswajit Mohanty and Justice Dr B R Sarangi, acting on a PIL, also issued notices to respondents, the state government and the Odia Bhasa Pratisthan, to file their counters to the PIL.
The High Court fixed the next hearing of the case after the summer vacation.
Eminent litterateur Binapani Mohanty and another person filed the PIL stating that Bhasa Pratisthan had come out with a new version of Odia primer that was originally written by legendary Bhaktakabi Madusudan Rao under the title 'Chhabila Madhu Barnobadh'.

The primer, written about 130 years ago, was the first book in Odia script and was the basic guide to Odia grammar, the PIL said.
It alleged that the Odia Bhasa Pratisthan had come out with a new version of the primer by twisting the script in a manner that was offensive and insulting.