BHUBANESWAR: The Opposition Congress and BJP on Wednesday targeted the State Government for its belated attempt to promote Odia language and culture saying Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has once again resorted to political chicanery to win votes in the next elections.Senior BJP leader and former minister Biswa Bhusan Harichandan said the decision of the State Government to set up a heritage cabinet and Odia Language Commission to preserve and promote the rich culture and language of the State after 18 years is to hoodwink the people.
“When the Chief Minister could not learn or speak Odia after 20 years what is the guarantee that his Government will implement the decisions taken by the Cabinet on promotion of the language,” he wondered.Nowhere in the country a Chief Minister does not know the language of his State. How could he (Naveen) understand the problems of the people and do justice to them when he is unable to converse with them, Harichandan said.
While the State Government has not been able to enforce its decision on use of Odia as an official language despite repeated demands from several organisations, several prestigious chairs established in the names of noted personalities of the State in different universities within Odisha and outside have ceased to function due to lack of financial support, he said.
As the State Government is under attack from opposition political parties for its failure to keep the poll promises, this is an attempt to divert the attention of the people, the senior BJP leader said.
Launching a scathing attack on the ruling BJD, Pradesh Congress president Prasad Harichandan said the series of decisions taken by the Naveen Patnaik Cabinet on promotion of Odia language is nothing but vote politics.
Former Chief Minister Janaki Ballav Patnaik had implemented Odia as official language in true spirit in 1985. The BJD Government which had never shown interest to promote the language in official business is waking up to the situation after 18 years of coming to power is something not easy to digest.
Harichandan said the Government’s motive is not pious as it is evident from several laws enacted but lying in cold storage for more than a decade. Citing the example of Odisha Public Libraries Act, 2002, the PCC chief said it has been more than 15 years the State Government has not framed rules under the Act.
Similar is the fate of government notification for use of Odia language in signage and display boards set up by shops and business establishments in the State, he said.