‘CM first obstacle to Official Language Act’

The Bhasha Suraksha Sammilani, which is spearheading a movement for implementation of the Odisha Official Language Act for the last six years on Sunday said Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and his influential officials are the main obstacles on the path of the implementation of the Act.

“The Chief Minister and the officers are not showing any interest to implement Odia as official language and constitute a Language Commission as they don’t know reading and writing Odia.

If the Official Language Act is implemented though Language Commission with provisions of punishment, they (CM and officers) would be put into trouble,” pointed out members on occasion of te Sammilani’ sixth foundation day held here on Sunday.

Sammilani president Baishnab Parida presided over the meeting. Attending as chief guest, Election Commission of India (ECI)’s Chief Advisor Dr Bhagaban Prakash said formation of a high-powered Language Commission is a bare necessity for implementation of an Official Language Act.  

Retired Justice Umakanta Mishra said people are groping in dark due to non-use of Odia as official language.

Gandhian leader Prahallad Singh said Odia officers and Ministers are afraid of implementing the Act as the Chief Minister doesn’t know to do file works in Odia. 

Among others, noted litterateur Prof Nityananda Satpathy, Congress leader Sibananda Ray, journalist Rabi Rath, educationist Dr Kishore Chandra Swain, historian Satyabadi Baliarsingh, former administrator Shreebatscha Samal, Dr Pramodini Hota and Dr Geetashree Priyambada spoke. The programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Nirmal Chandra Behera.