BHUBANESWAR: The Rasagola war is not over yet. In fact, it has just been renewed. Four months after ‘Banglar Rasogulla’ was accorded GI tag, the GI Registry has served a notice on the West Bengal Government for submitting the counter-statement within two months. Basing on an objection petition filed by Bhubaneswar-based Regional Development Trust, the GI Registry at Chennai has sought the grounds on which the registered proprietor rely for registration.
In case of ‘Banglar Rasogulla’, the registered proprietor is West Bengal State Food Processing and Horticulture Development Corporation Ltd, a Government agency. In his objection petition, Ramesh Chandra Sahoo, chairman of Regional Development Trust pointed out that the Bengal agency secured the GI tag for the sweetmeat producing false information. While no sweet manufacturer sought the GI tag, a Bengal Government undertaking applied for it and Odisha was never given an opportunity to place its version, he said.
Currently, a PIL filed by Odia literary magazine “Odisha Parba” and cultural outfit “Punya Utkal” is pending before the Orissa High Court on the matter. The State Government has been strong in its demand for GI tag to Rasagola which is served to Lord Jagannath at Jagannath Temple for the last 800 years. In fact, legendary Odia poet Balaram Das had made mention about Rasagola in his epic ‘Dandi Ramayana’. Recently, the Department of Post had issued a special envelope on Rasagola as part of Lord Jagannath’s menu. On February 24, Odisha Small Industries Corporation submitted a petition with the GI Registry seeking GI tag for “Odisha ra Rasagola”.