Bhubaneswar: Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi Friday asserted that “Odia Asmita” (Odia pride) became a major poll issue in the 2024 elections for Lok Sabha and state Assembly as the previous BJD government had “outsourced” the state’s administration to non-Odia bureaucrats.
The BJP defeated the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) in the 2024 assembly elections, and by referring to non-Odia officers, the CM was apparently referring to VK Pandian, a Tamil.
Majhi said, “Many people ask, why did Odia Asmita become a poll issue? As an ordinary Odia, its definition is clear to me: I am an Odia, my language is Odia and Odisha is my identity.”
Majhi claimed that in the last elections, the people were agitated over the denial of self-respect.
“As their leader, Odias want a person who understands their language and feelings, and Odia-ness in the governance system. That was grossly lacking in the previous government,” Majhi said without naming the erstwhile chief minister Naveen Patnaik.
Pandian was a trusted aide of Patnaik and even joined the BJD. The officer-turned-politician was once touted as the political successor of the BJD president. He withdrew from active politics in the wake of the party’s defeat in the Lok Sabha and Assembly polls.
“When the administration was outsourced to non-Odisha officials, it was natural for the Odia people to be angry. The 2024 election mandate was a clear reflection of that mass discontent,” the CM said.
He claimed that Odisha is the only state in Indian history that has gifted the world the message of valour, peace, friendship, excellence and unity.
“This is the land where Chandashoka turned into Dharmashoka. The brave son of this land, Kharavela, expanded his empire from the Ganga to the Godavari and restored the glory of Kalinga (an ancient name of Odisha),” he said.
Majhi, a prominent tribal leader, also stated that this land has united all religions in the chant of Jai Jagannath. And this land has also given a boost to the freedom struggle with the “Vande Mataram” slogan, the BJP leader claimed.
The Chief Minister asserted that the pace of development in Odisha was slow during the BJD’s tenure as the government did not give importance to the Odia language and literature.
“When the government itself does not give importance to the language, then the decline of the language is certain. This was the reason for the anger of many language lovers, literature lovers and people who love Asmita,” the Chief Minister noted.
However, Majhi said that Asmita does not mean that Odisha people are against any other language.
“English is a global language. It is the language of science, technology and industry. It connects us globally like a bridge. But, this cannot be the main path of our development,” he said.
All the world’s civilisations, be it Greek or Persian or our ancient Indian civilisation, language and literature have played a fundamental role in all of them, Majhi said.
“Our ancient texts like the Vedas, Mahabharata, Ramayana and Upanishads have remained the inspiration of our basic knowledge and philosophy till date,” he said.
Majhi said after forming the government, he has taken extensive steps to re-establish “Odia Asmita”.
The government has been successfully continuing the process of opening the Ratna Bhandar (treasury) of Lord Jagannath. This was a long-standing demand of the people of Odisha, he said.
“In the last 21 months, more funds have been allocated for the promotion of Odia language, culture and heritage. An allocation of Rs 200 crore “corpse fund” for “Odia Ashmita” and Rs 500 crore has been made for the development of Jagannath culture, the heart of Odia Asmita,” the chief minister said.
The CM projected himself as the “chief servitor” of Odisha, and called upon all the parents and guardians to talk to their children in the Odia language at home, read Odia newspapers, watch Odia channels on television and read Odia literature.
“This is because Odia identity is not just a slogan, but it should be our way of life,” he said.
PTI
