Bhubaneswar: Contrary to assurances from powers that-be in Jharkhand to accord second language status to Odia, the School and Mass Education department of the state has decided to abolish the language from the curriculum much to the chagrin of Odia people living in that State.
Urging Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemanta Soren and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to abort the move to abolish Odia as second language from the Jharkhand syllabus, Yuva Odisha president Tejeswar Parida has requested Odia Language, Literature and Culture Minister Jyoti Praksash Panigrahi to visit Ranchi and contact the ministers and officials in addition to meeting several Odia outfits in that state to build pressure on the government to withdraw the move.
“Odia which enjoyed the second language status in Jharkhand along with Santhali, Bengali and Urdu since 2011, has been withdrawn from curriculum. This has created resentment among Odias living in Jharkhand. Hence, we request you to take up the matter with Jharkhand Chief Minister,” stated Rabi Behera, president of Samajwadi Party in Odisha, in his letter to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Several lakh Oriya-speaking people live in 10 districts of Jharkhand such as East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, Sareikela-Kharasuan, Ranchi, Gumla, Dhanbad, Bokaro, Simdega, Lahardega and Latehar. But Oriya language has been neglected by the neighbouring state government.
Earlier, Utkal Sammilani had staged dharna in front of Jharkhand Assembly demanding declaration of Oriya as a second official language and submitted memoranda to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren and Assembly Speaker C P Singh. Although two chief ministers had promised to accord second language status to Oriya, the demand was not conceded so far.
In view of the border dispute between the two states, Odisha Governor, Chief Minister and Speaker should call a special session of the Assembly to resolve the language row, Parida added in the petition.
