Report by Saroj Mishra, Puri: With International Beach Festival on the beach of Puri reaching its fourth edition, Puri Protection Council (PPC) will stage peace protest on Tuesday afternoon. The outfit is strongly opposing performance of vulgar and nude dances on the beach during holy month of Kartika. 

In a memorandum to Director of police (DGP) Prakash Mishra and Superintendent of Puri district police (SP) PPC has demanded cancellation of modern songs and dances by Magic Singer Rex D’ Souza of Mumbai when lakhs of pilgrims and devotees are observing Kartika fast in Puri. “We don’t oppose Beach Festival not have any rife with organizers, but oppose any sort of modern dances, which go against the religious sentiment of devotees” informed Puskar Mahapatra, president of PPC saying the nude dance proposed by festival organizers is against Jagannath culture. 

He said that their organization is not against traditional cultures. Hitting at Tourism and Culture departments of both and center Mahapatra questioned how they have agreed to sponsor such dances in the holy city while the sacred season is underway. 

“We will stage a peace protest against show and put moral pressure on the festival organizers to stop this vulgar program-me” said L.N.Pattanik, secretary of PPC.  Sought reaction to the protest Rajkishore Patra, Managing Director of Hotel Holiday Resort and who happens to be the general secretary of Puri Hotel Assocoiation said, the proposed Mega Nite has nothing to do with vulgar dance. “Mumbai Mega Nite is based on songs only. There is no place of nudity” said Patra to this scribe.