SAMBALPUR: Former minister and BJD’s Sambalpur president Rohit Pujari on Friday accused the state government of failing to move a proposal in the Assembly for granting official status to Sambalpuri language and including it in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
In a video message, Pujari said it was unfortunate that for the second consecutive time, the minister concerned informed the House that no such proposal was under consideration. “We all know that former chief minister Naveen Patnaik had once forwarded a proposal for official recognition of Sambalpuri language and its inclusion in the Eighth Schedule. Where has that proposal gone?” he questioned.
Highlighting the widespread use of Sambalpuri, he said the language is spoken not only by over two crore people across western Odisha but also in parts of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. “If the current BJP government has no concern for Sambalpuri, nothing could be more painful. Sambalpuri is not just our language; it is our identity, existence, and pride,” he asserted.
The BJD leader said if the government continues to remain indifferent, people of western Odisha would be left with no choice but to fight for protecting their dignity and safeguard the recognition of Sambalpuri language.