Odisha government has cautioned district collectors and urban local bodies to ensure use of Swachh Bharat mission logo having Mahatma Gandhi's items in a careful and dignified manner keeping in view public sentiments.
The state government also issued a guideline regarding prohibition/use of sketches/photos/pictures/logos of Mahatma Gandhi and his belongings like glasses, charkha (spinning wheel), stick, watch and other items.
The Swachh Bharat mission uses a logo of Gandhiji's famous round glasses for its countrywide campaign.
The state government issued the advisory following the Centre's May 16 directive to all state-level directors of the mission saying guidelines issued by the Chhattisgarh High Court, which in January had issued a notice to the Raman Singh government to prevent pictorial illustration of Gandhiji's spectacles on dustbins, public toilets and trash cans, must be observed.
Odisha's Swachh Bharat mission director Parameswaran Balakrishnan, said Gandhiji's image or any of his other belongings, like the spinning wheel, his walking stick or watch, should not be used on the walls of public toilets, garbage bins and other such places in the campaign.
"It must be ensured that sketches, pictures, photos and logo of Mahatma Gandhi or those of his belongings (glasses, charakha, stick and watch) are not displayed on the walls of public toilets, garbage bins... During the SBM campaign so that sentiment of anyone may not be hurt. Public must be apprised of this fact during the campaign," Balakrishnan said in a letter to all district collectors and urban local bodies.
He, however, clarified that water markings on the mission's logo in the official stationary as well as posters, wall-hangings in corridors and prominent places may continue.
"Objectionable pictures engravings, photographs, printed materials are to be removed without reducing the utility or availability of public service equipment and facilities," Parameswaran said.
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