Orissa CM drifts away from the decision for Governance of Orissa in Oriya

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

The demand of Oriya Bhasa Sangram Samiti (OBSS) was for governance of Orissa in Oriya. The State Government had agreed and had come to an agreement with OBSS to work out details of how to make it a reality in practice.

When the details were formulated and placed in a dedicated website specifically created to monitor governance of Orissa in Oriya, in a surprise and baffling move, the Chief Minister has reduced the State to Official circulars, Advertisements and Name-plates, in a meeting held today the 17th December in the Secretariat.

The meeting was held behind back of the other part of the agreement, i.e. the OBSS and the Press Note issued by the CMO makes it clear that the Chief Minister has drifted away from the decision for governance of Orissa in Oriya.

The official caption given to the Press Note is clear enough to suggest that the CM is not for governance of Orissa in Oriya. To his perception, issuance of official circulars, official advertisements and writing of name-plates constitute the whole gamut of governance!

We will discuss the Press Note in a separate post. Let us now see what does it say.

After the CMO issued this Press Note, the leadership of OBSS hold an emergency meeting and passed the following resolutions.

We place it here for records.

Governance of Orissa in Oriya // CM apprises Assembly of Rules on the Anvil

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

Our struggle for governance of Orissa in Oriya is fetching success step by step despite a ruling party MP trying to misguide the people.

In reply to a question, i.e. UDAQ No. 2325 from Member Nabakishore Das, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has told the Assembly on 14th December that the government is now finalizing the Rules to make it a must for the authorities to use Oriya as the Official Language.

The Chief Minister has almost admitted that notwithstanding enactment and instant enforcement of Orissa Official Language Act in 1954, which had stipulated that “Oriya shall be the language to be used for all or any of the official purposes of the State of Orissa”, the administration is not running in Oriya.

We had, in our meetings with the ministers, submitted various departmental circulars that had directed the departmental officers to work in Oriya language. These circulars were not traceable in headquarters. We had collected them – credit goes certainly to Joint Convener of Odia Bhasa Sangram Samiti Dr. Subrat Kumar Prusty – from the guard files of field offices at great pain and given copies thereof to the government to show how the Act was not functioning. In his reply referred to above, the Chief Minister has cited those circulars. Despite such circulars, the officers are not using Oriya language for official purpose.

In course of my investigation I stumbled upon the order of Chief Minister J. B. Patnaik, as he then was, directing all offices to use Oriya as the language of administration. This was a mandatory order from the Chief Minister of the constitutional government.

It is surprising that despite such clear orders from the Chief Minister himself, officers did not care to use Oriya.

In the regime of the present Chief Minister, various orders have also been issued for administration in Oriya; such as GA Department letter No.10552 of 17/4/2013. Another instance is letter No. 16086 of 12/6/2013 of the same department that controls all other departments. Yet, the officers did not use Oriya as official language.
What could be the reasons of this?

On research I found, there were no Rules to drive the Act ahead. The contraveners of the Act should have been subjected to disciplinary action; but there was no provision to administer discipline, including necessary prosecution for offense against the State. I found the Act itself had no provision for framing of the Rules. The Officers knew this lacuna and knew that they should be enjoying immunity under the shade of the deficient Act even if they continue to contravene it.

To eradicate this lacuna, I submitted the draft of proposed amendment to the Act of 1954 along with a draft of the proposed Rules to the Chairman of Official Language Advisory Committee Hon’ble Minister Sri Debi Prasad Mishra. Behind this was the collective wisdom and support of the entire leadership of the Odia Bhasa Sangram Samiti led by eminent poet Shankarshan Parida and fortunately for the State of Orissa, the Chairman and members of the ministerial committee formed by the Chief Minister wholeheartedly appreciated the initiative. The same has officially been posted in the dedicated website for public suggestions if any.

We are most happy to note that the Chief Minister has approved the website titled ODIARE SHASANA entirely dedicated to our demand for governance of Orissa in Oriya. On his behalf, Minister Debi Prasad Mishra who heads the Official Language Advisory Committee (formerly the Joint Action Committee) has launched this site in the presence of all the Ministers and representatives of the Odia Bhasa Sangram Samiti, that constitute the Committee and author of the proposed Language Policy Dr. Debi Prasanna Pattanayak.

We congratulate the Chief Minister for having informed the House as noted supra that the Rules are currently under active consideration of the Government for adoption.

Once the Act is amended and Rules adopted, no Officer, whatsoever be his / her rank and status, would dare to play mischief with our people’s right to get governance of our State in our mother tongue Oriya.

We put below the Assembly document carrying the question and the CM’s answer as a matter of documentation.

Justice Pasayat’s conduct questioned

Justice Arijit Pasayat’s assertion that terrorists have no entitlement to human rights is condemned by human-right-activists.

Golak Bihari Nath of Gatantrik Adhikar Surakha Sangathan and Pramodini Pradhan of People’s Union for Civil Liberties in a Press realease on 14th December have questioned the motive of the former judge of the Supreme Court of India.

We publish here the contents of the Press Release with the hope that Justice Pasayat would explain his position, as his reported remark has serious ramifications.

Here is what the two have said:

The former Supreme Court Judge Justice Arijit Pashayat’s statement that terrorists and notorious criminals should not be given any human rights consideration, as reported in various newspapers, is unacceptable.

It is shocking when a former judge of the Supreme Court carries such an attitude.

His comments are in disagreement with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights to which India is a signatory. The Declaration clearly states that “Everyone charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty according to law in a public trial at which he has had all the guarantees necessary for his defence” (Article-11).

Right to a fair and public hearing by an independent and impartial judiciary is also guaranteed by the Constitution of India.

In view of this, the comment of Justice Pasayat that ‘the terrorists and notorious criminals are not entitled to any human rights consideration’ is completely against the accepted values and principles of Indian Constitution as well as the United Nations’ Charter of Human Rights.

What is worrying is when a person with such prejudice about ‘terrorists’ and ‘criminals ’occupied a position in the highest judiciary of the country, what kind of justice would have been delivered to people presumed as ‘terrorists’ and ‘criminals ’by that person.

Naveen will leave Orissa Bankrupt: Media should start educating the people

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

Professional aloofness displayed by physicians may not be found faulty; but the same in media is unfortunate and blatantly anti-people. Media must be the medium of public education in matter of management of the State.
Orissan media is oversaturated with fellows that pursue the only mission of ingratiating with the ministers, and bureaucrats whom ministers rely upon. Media houses in Orissa run mostly by economic offenders encourage their representatives in this mission so that powers that be may protect them at times of need.

This is why ruling BJD and Chief Minister’s blatant failure in protecting Orissa’s interest in matter of Polavaram project is not yet known to the people. Similarly the people have not yet known that this government is pushing the State into bankruptcy.

The State Finance Minister has told member Dillip Ray in response to his question, on 14th December that the loan of the State shall reach by the amount of Rs. 56,540.13 crores putting debt load on every citizen to the tune of about Rs. 14 thousand. This financial year itself shall be loaded with a loan amount of Rs.12, 800. 38 crores that surpasses all the previous borrowing records.

Loan for development is not unusual. But, the peculiarity in this is that, the State government is borrowing increasingly higher amounts year after year without any workable planning for repayment. It has already impoverished the State denuding her of valuable natural resources and reducing her to a greasing ground of avaricious anti-people non-Oriya industries; and more dangerously, by ruining the peasants’ confidence on self-employment in their traditional agriculture.

There is no easy way for the people to know if the borrowing is productively used and if so, why instead of repaying the loans the State has been borrowing higher amounts every year to reach the state of bankruptcy. Audit Paras on wrongful expenditure and loot of exchequer are galore; but no penal action against any offender is discernible. Why? Shouldn’t media come forward to focus on it?

Governance of Orissa in Oriya // Gateway to open today after heroic battle of the people

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

Only a few hour left. The heroic battle of the people of Orissa for governance of Orissa in Oriya shall step into the 2nd phase of success at 10.30 AM today in Orissa Secretariat, as the Government’s statement affirming its decision for use of Oriya in every aspect of administration as per its agreement with the Odia Bhasa Sangrama Samiti, will come alive.

The first phase of success had come on July 8, 2015 Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik created a committee of five ministers to work with seven representatives of the Odia Bhasa Sangram Samiti that was spearheading the mass movement for implementation of the Orissa Official Language Act, 1954 languishing since the day of its legislation.

 

According to decision of the Chief Minister, a joint action committee for implementation of the Official Language Act was formed with Sri Debi Prasanna Mishra, Bikram Keshari Arukh, Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Arun Kumar Sahoo and Pranab Prakash Das – all ministers and Sankarshan Parida, Gajanan Mishra, Dr. Subrat Kumar Prusti, Dr. Bhagavan Prakash, Dr. Natabar Satapathy, Journalist Subhas Chandra Pattanayak and Baishnab Charan Parida MP – all representatives of Odia Bhasa Sangram Samiti. Linguist Dr. Debi Prasanna Pattanayak was taken into this committee where Principal Secretary of Law, Principal Secretary of GA, Director of Odia Bhasa Pratisthan were members from the executive side. Joint Secretary of GA department was taken in as convener of the Committee.

In its first formal meeting, when Dr. Prakash could not attend due to his absence at Bhubaneswar, the ruling party MP Baishnav C. Parida, despite being a member, had unsuccessfully tried to derail the discussion on selfish ground. He has been spewing venom against the Chief Minister whenever an opportunity comes and wants to use the language issue as a whip to beat the CM with. On seeing that the meeting was proceeding in the right direction he was obviously frustrated and the unnecessary noise he made was out of that frustration.

However, the meeting had proceeded with very clear and constructive cooperation of the rest of the representatives of the Bhasa Sangram Samiti. Three resolutions were adopted in this meeting. (1) Dr. Debi Prasanna Pattanayak would draft and submit a language policy; (2) an user-friendly website dedicated entirely to implementation of the Language Act would be created and (3) members of the Committee would advance their suggestions as should be helpful in implementation of the Act.

Accordingly, when Dr. Debi Prasanna Pattanayak has submitted a draft Language Policy Sri Subhas Chandra Pattanayak has submitted draft of the legal tools necessary for implementation of the Act. Both these documents have been placed in the site created in Oriya for Orissa.

Any legitimate citizen of Orissa can submit his observation and/or suggestions in the matter of implementation of the language Act in a specific page provided in the site and can watch official responses thereto.

The site will not only ensure governance of Orissa in Oriya, but also empower the general public to intervene in case of any deviation.

Mana of Orissa Resurrected at Gopalpur: Port Ready for Merchants of the World

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

The only All Weather Direct Berthing Port of Orissa owned and controlled by an Oriya of immense port-experience Sri Mahimanand Mishra – the Gopalpur Port – has resurrected itself as a storm-proof Port and is ready for the merchants of the world.

Two years ago, it was heavily damaged by the severe anabatic cyclone Phailin.

The damage was massive, as the storm had its landfall here. But, Neither Sri Mishra nor his dedicated team allowed themselves to be defeated. With all determination, they started the resurrection process with immediate effect. A visit to its site after the storm had inspired us to write that Phailin had failed to damage the guts of Gopalpur.

We are happy that our observation has come true and the direct berthing port is now ready for the ships.

Students put their footprints from Sambalpur to Orissa Capital in cause of Mother Tongue Oriya

Oriya Bhasa Sangram Samiti, under the leadership of Dr. Subrat Kumar Prusty, welcomed the students who had come walking on foot from Sambalpur to Bhubaneswar to ask the Government to ensure paramountcy of mother tongue Oriya in management of Orissa by appointing teachers in the subject of Oriya in all educational institutes within the limits of the State as the minimum duty of the Government to the people. Bhasa Sangram Samiti leader Poet and Advocate Gajanan Mishra had flagged off the foot marchers at Sambalpur on October 17.

Students from Sambalpur were joined with students from the Central University, Ravenshaw University, Utkal University and Sahantiniketan in the foot march under the auspices of Nikhila Utkal Oriya Honors Students Association.

They were welcomed and addressed by Dr. Debi Prasanna Pattanayak, Debendra Prasad Das, Subhas Chandra Pattanayak, Ajay Kumar Jena and Hemanta Kumar Rath and others.

Below are a few relevant pictures on the welcome given to them on October 31 at the same spot on Mahatma Gandhi Marg where poet Gajanan Mishra had observed his fast on to death along with other hunger-strikers for implementation of Orissa Official Language Act, 1954. The fast was withdrawn on July 08,2015 on agreement of the Government with the Bhasa Sangram Samiti for implementation of the Act, following which a Joint Action Committee with Five Ministers representing the Government and seven language activists representing the Samiti has been formed and steps as regularly being reported in this site are being taken.

 

Information to share in matter of our Mother Tongue

Subhas Chandra Pattanayak

Dear friends, a team of Oriya Bhasa Sangram Samiti comprising Dr. Subrat Kumar Prusty , Sri Pabitra Maharatha and me met the Joint Secretary of General Administration Sri G. Patra and DGM of OCAC Sri S. K. Tripathy in the Secretariat chamber of Sri Patra yesterday to ascertain if the website for public participation in governance of Orissa in Oriya is ready.

When Sri Patra is the desk officer in matter of our movement for governance of Orissa in Oriya, Sri Tripathy is building up the website meant to serve the mission of governance of Orissa in Oriya.

To our satisfaction, we found that OCAC has built up the prototype of the site styled ODISHA BHASA ADHINIYAMA.

The site is in Oriya and this being as per our demand; both the officers helped us inspecting it. We are convinced that the government is not backing out from the promise it has made to us for governance of Orissa in Oriya.
We are going to have our next informal meeting with the Ministerial committee chairman Sri Debi Prasad Mishra to finalize the contents of site and the agenda for the formal meeting. The Chief Minister may formally launch the website on the occasion of the said meeting, which, we propose to be an extended meeting participated by as many language activists as possible. Probably the date would be Nov. 7. In this site, shall be posted the Orissa Official Language Act, 1954 along with the draft of the necessary amendment we have advanced along with the Rules. The Language Policy formulated by Dr. Debi Prasanna Pattanayak shall also be posted in this site vis-à-vis all the government circulars for public information and views. The general public shall directly post their views on the proposed Policy and Rules.

I deem it proper to inform that unless the amendment of the Act as we have suggested and the Rules we have submitted are legally adopted, with vetting as our legislative wisdom would deem proper, governance of Orissa in Oriya may not be possible. So, friends, when the site would be launched, freely put your unbiased considered views in invoking the proper provision.

Dear friends, I am hopeful that our mission shall succeed. And for this success, all of you friends who have sacrificed so much for our mother tongue at the call of our Bhasa Sangrama Samiti will be the happiest persons, I know.
While reporting this, I would like to place here a few samples of saws and slogans my dearest friends in Bhasa Sangrama Samiti have posted in various stages of our movement, the contributions of which are immense in the cause of our mother tongue so far.

While saying thus, I would like to warn the Government that these creations of our language bards be studied by them with utmost importance; because, if the Government – dominated by people with anglicized mentality – succumbs to unseen pressure and backs out, these compositions should show them to what explosive limit our language activists shall go to establish the dignity and paramountcy of our mother tongue in our motherland.

Orissa’s opportunistic writers who benefit from the purses of Oriya readers; but never bother about governance of Orissa in Oriya as well as Orissa government should take note of this.
Now to the saws and slogans:

Malipada escapes a catastrophe

By Laxmi Prasad Pattanayak

Today at 3.50 PM Malipada narrowly escaped a catastrophe.

A large tanker full of gas slid on NH 5 while trying to save a cow that suddenly came running into the road from the side fields.

Had the crash caused explosion, the nearby village of Malipada and Jankia toll gate could have been severely affected.

Surprisingly, and to relief of onlookers, it did not happen.

Laxmi Prasad Pattanayak focuses on a Moon Riddle

Our photographer Laxmi Prasad Pattanayak observed Kumara Purnami Janha in a different way. He wanted to watch the moon before the full moon night.

While focusing his camera on the moon on 25th October, he stumbled upon a spot that riddled him a riddle. He captured it.

He searched through his lens the next evening and also found the same spot.

We place below two pictures of 25th October and three of 26th with the time of the clicks noted in accompanying boxes. The pictures are earmarked with circles and arrows.