Bitter Battle For Sweet: GI Tag For ‘Banglar Rasogolla’ Up For Review

Chennai: The spotlight refuses to leave the syrupy sweet which has been the bone of contention between Odisha and West Bengal. While many perceived the GI tag for ‘Odisha Rasagola’ would draw curtains on the bitter battle between Odisha and West Bengal over its origin, a petition challenging the official certification for ‘Banglar Rasogolla’ has declared that the war is still on.

West Bengal got the GI tag for its version of white, spongy dumpling of cottage cheese dipped in light sugar syrup, ‘Banglar Rasogolla’ in 2017. However, it is now up for review with the Chennai-based Geographical Identification Registry conducting the first hearing on the petition seeking rectification/removal of the GI tag to West Bengal on September 6.

The petition was filed by a Bhubaneswar-based Ramesh Chandra Sahoo in February last year.

On July 26, the GI registry served notices and directed West Bengal State Food Processing and Horticulture Development Corporation and the Patent Information Centre of the Higher Education Science and Technology Department of the West Bengal Government and the petitioner to appear before it for a hearing.

“I am directed to inform that Geographical Indication application (N0 533) is fixed for hearing on September 6, 2019 (Friday) at 11.30 hours before honourable Registrar of GI at its Chennai office. In event of non-appearance, the case will be decided as per GI Act & Rules based on the documents available with the office,” said Senior Examiner of Trademarks & GI, Geographical Indication Registry, Chennai, Prashanth Kumar S Bhairappanavar said.

The petitioner — Ramesh Chandra Sahoo of Chandaka, Bhubaneswar, — has sought to know on what basis the GI tag was conferred on ‘Banglar rasagola’ in November 2017.

A geographical indication (GI) is a sign used on products that have a specific geographical origin and possess exclusive qualities or a reputation that are due to that origin.

The Odisha government had applied for GI tag for rasagola in 2015, claiming that  the sweetmeat existed in the state since 15^th century as it has been mentioned in ‘Dandi Ramayana’. But Went Bengal moved in quickly with required documents and got the tag for its version of  ‘Banglar Rasagola’ in November 2017.

Odisha got the GI for its version of the sweet dumpling only on July 30 this year.

The GI application for ‘Odisha Rasagola’ was filed by the Odisha Small Industries Corporation Ltd. The Utkala Mistanna Byebasayee Samiti was the joint applicant. The GI tag granted to Odisha will be valid till February 22, 2028.