Graffiti

When Write is Wrong

Politicians and political parties in Orissa’s capital are in a bind: there are no walls for graffiti. Most walls in this city sport traditional paintings

Jaideep Mazumdar Jaideep Mazumdar | 19 Jun, 2009

Most walls in Bhubaneshwar sport traditional paintings. What do election campaigners do?

Politicians and political parties in Orissa’s capital are in a bind: there are no walls for graffiti. Most walls in this city, modelled on Le Corbusier’s Chandigarh, sport traditional paintings as part of a civic renovation project. This was initiated by the no-nonsense commissioner of Bhubaneshwar Municipal Corporation, Aparajita Sarangi. Another feisty woman, Orissa’s Chief Electoral Officer Alka Panda, has banned ‘defacement’ of walls with political slogans. Attempts by some politicians to whitewash Pattachitra paintings and emblazon walls with their slogans met with a swift crackdown from Sarangi, who fined them Rs 50 for every square foot of wall defaced and slapped showcause notices on them. Homes and offices that don’t want graffiti on their walls just have to put up ‘stick no bills’ notices and report any violations to the civic body. Call it the end of the wall street journal in Bhubaneswar.

campaign election graffiti Orissa