Sonepur: Issues such as migration and the Kunduli girl case that rocked the state found special mention at a seminar on literature on social issues at Inkfest-2018 on the Gandhi ground on Sunday evening.

Speakers unequivocally said though there were different genres of literature, those that dealt social issues touched the readers more than the other genres. Speakers said literature was an art. But it is the ones that talk about the society and the different issues which are applauded more than the others.

Inkfest-2018, an annual book and literary festival, is being organised by Sonepur-based literary organisation Inkfest in collaboration with state department of culture, language and literature and district council of culture of Sonepur. English teacher Lohitakshya Joshi said: "Issues like migration and that of Kunduli girl has produced good literature and that is the power of literature. Writers must explore such issues."

Joshi concentrated his presentation on the legendary Odia writer Fakir Mohan Senapati and his two classic stories Rebati and Chha Mana Atha Guntha. He said: "These two stories have contributed a lot in discussing social issues in Odisha. These century-old stories discuss stigma, superstition, poverty and such issues that are relevant even today."

"Literature is a way of life. It has the power to bring about a change in the society," litterateur Dwarikanath Nayak said, adding that the real worry didn't come from the writer but from the readers.

"We must introspect what makes people to keep away from reading books. It is a big worry," Nayak said.