CM Mohan Majhi Clears Air On ‘Merging Saraikela-Kharasuan Region In Odisha’ Talks

Bhubaneswar: Chief Minister Mohan Majhi has clarified that he never mentioned about merger of Saraikela-Kharasuan region in Odisha at a press conference during his two-day trip tour to Jharkhand to campaign for the BJP ahead of announcement of dates for the Assembly election in the neighbouring state.

“….I want to assure you that I have not made any such statement. All the Odia brothers and sisters residing in Jharkhand are proud of their Jharkhandi identity. I pray to Mahaprabhu Shri Jagannath for the development and prosperity of Jharkhand state. BJP has created the state of Jharkhand and the all-round development of Jharkhand is possible only during the rule of BJP,” he posted on X.

There has been long-standing demand for inclusion of Sareikela-Kharsuan region with Odisha as those are predominantly Odia-speaking tracts. The Odisha Assembly had around two decades ago passed an unanimous resolution demanding the same.

On Tuesday, Majhi alleged neglect of over 40 lakh Odia-speaking people residing in East Singhbhum, West Singhbhum, Sareikela and Kharsuan areas of Jharkhand. “Efforts are being made by the Hemant Soren government to finish Odia language and culture. All the difficulties of the Odia-speaking people will be addressed once there is a double-engine government here,” he further claimed.

He also blamed the previous BJD government of neglecting Odia schools in Jharkhand by discontinuing supply of Odia textbooks since 2007. “My government will revise the curriculum and new textbooks will be supplied free of cost to students before the start of the next academic session,” he said while announcing that the honorarium of teachers of Odia schools in Jharkhand will be doubled from Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000 per month.

Though the Naveen Patnaik government had announced to increase the amount to Rs 4,000, it is yet to be implemented, he added.