Bhubaneswar: Senior BJP leader and former Minister Jayanarayan Mishra’s statement that the integration of Koshal region with Odisha was a ‘historic blunder’ has triggered a fresh controversy in the state.
Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) and Congress stepped up attacks on Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP” and the Odisha government over the Sambalpur MLA’s remarks.
The statement drew sharp criticism from across the political spectrum with leaders demanding an immediate apology from the BJP MLA. They also accused Mishra of promoting regional divide and undermining the state’s unity.
Coming down heavily on BJP, Congress legislature party leader Rama Chandra Kadam said the saffron party that came to power in the state by speaking of regional identity is now questioning the very existence of the state. He sought to know whether BJP is sincere about keeping not Odisha’s unity intact.
Noting that BJP came to power with a call to uphold Odia Asmita, he said it now appears that the double-engine government wants to divide the state.
Kadam further claimed that either BJP was making Mishra make such utterances or it reflected the party’s core ideology. “It seems BJP does not want to protect Odisha’s unity and integrity,” the Congress leader claimed.
Attacking BJP in same vein over Mishra’s statement, senior BJD leader and former Minister Pratap Keshari Deb termed the remark ‘unfortunate’, and said such remarks undermine Odisha’s historical and cultural identity.
On the one hand BJP speaks about Odia Asmita and on the other it is changing the dates for celebration of important events, he said.
Hitting out at Mishra, another senior BJD leader Rohit Pujari sought to know as to why the BJP legislator never raised the issue of Koshala region’s merger during his past tenure as a Minister and leader of opposition in the Assembly.
“Noting that Mishra has been elected as an MLA five times, Pujari said the BJP leader was the deputy chief whip and also a Minister. However, he never spoke about this issue then, he said.
The BJD leader also pointed out that Mishra had stood for the ‘Bande Utkal Janani’ song in the Assembly. “Now he is making such statements because he is desperate for a ministerial post. His party workers, who once followed him, are now supporting Dharmendra Pradhan, which he cannot tolerate,” he claimed.
Notably, Mishra made the controversial statement while speaking at an event held for disbursement Subhadra Yojana money in Sambalpur on Saturday. “The people of Sambalpur should remember that Odisha as a separate state was formed due to the integration of Utkal, Koshal and Kalinga regions. Utkal region comprises only Cuttack, Puri, and Balasore. It is not proper to hail only Utkal and forget Kosal and Kalinga regions,” the BJP MLA said.
The firebrand BJP leader addressed the gathering soon after the recital of ‘Bande Utkal Janani’, the state song of Odisha.
The former Minister further claimed the people of Sambalpur and Koshal have been all along been exploited due to the region’s integration with Odisha. “We have been exploited in every sphere. We have also been denied our cultural rights. The integration of Koshal with Odisha was a historic blunder,” Mishra had stated.
