Dist Administration stops beauty contest in Mandei

Business establishments remained closed while vechicular movement was thin during the bandh. In Umerkote town also people stated protest opposing the competition. 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 othersd.

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 BJD also sat on a dharna to in protest against the proposed beauty contest. Meanwhile, the district administration announced cancellation of the beauty contests in view of opposition from different quarters, Nabarangpur district collector Siba Prasad Mishra said.