Gandhian followers protest near the entrance of the khadi board in Bhubaneswar on Friday. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Sept. 12: Several Gandhians today staged a dharna near the entrance to the Odisha Khadi and Village Industries Board premises at Kharavela Nagar opposing the proposed construction of a commercial tower on a 3.31-acre plot belonging to the board.

The protesters are apprehensive that the move might result in complete neglect of the khadi board and it might be shifted from its present location. They had staged the protest beside the Gandhi statue near the entrance to the office for over seven hours.

They also submitted a memorandum to chief minister Naveen Patnaik, requesting him to spread the activities of the khadi board and ensure proper utilisation of its land, which is located in the heart of the city. “This is the best place to promote khadi,” said a demonstrator.

Freedom fighter and former MP Bhabani Charan Patnaik, who led the group, said: “The khadi movement and its related activities are linked to the freedom struggle and directly related to the economic uplift of the poor and the downtrodden. The step to build a tower on the board’s land will paralyse the khadi movement and ignite public resentment, particularly at a time when numerous land scams have surfaced.”

Members of the Vinoba Seva Pratisthan, Sobhaniya Sikshyashram, Utkal Sarvoday Mandal and the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi took part in the demonstration. Madhusudan Das from the National Youth Project said: “We are now united, and no one can wipe out the memories of Gandhi from this place. If the state government wishes, it can shift the tower project to some other place.”

Manoj Jena of the Vinoba Seva Pratisthan said: “The land for the khadi board should not be sacrificed for the anti-khadi activity of constructing a five-star facility with a corporate identity. Rather, the state government should ask organisations such as the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage to develop it with a museum or picture gallery on khadi.”

“A full-fledged training and display centre related to khadi and village industries, honey-bee keeping and a medicinal garden can also be developed on the existing premises,” said Utkal Sarvoday Mandal secretary Ramakant Mandal.

In 2003, the chief minister laid the foundation stone for a modern complex named Khadi Bhavan on the premises. However, the plan never materialised.