BHUBANESWAR: Controversy over the rechristening of Orissa as ‘Odisha’, to be taken up in Parliament for discussion in the current session, cropped up in the Assembly today with MLAs expressing different views over the matter. Raising the issue, Amar Prasad Satpathy (NCP) referred to the stand taken by BJD MP Bhatruhari Mahatab that the State should be named as Odissa and not Odisha as ‘talavessa’ is ‘ss’ and not ‘sh’. Satpathy said a unanimous resolution was adopted in the House in 2009 to change the name of the State from Orissa to Odisha. He wanted to know from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik whether the State Government is planning amendments to the resolution in view of the fresh demand. Pravat Tripathy (BJD) said it took 74 years for the State to correct its name and another mistake should not be made. The renaming should be perfect, he added. He too vouched for ‘ss’ instead of ‘sh’. His party colleague Anant Das, however, said Odisha is correct and there is no need for further amendment to the resolution. Speaker Pradip Amat said a unanimous resolution was passed in the House to change the name of Orissa to Odisha and Oriya as Odia. He said after the bill is passed in Parliament, Orissa will be Odisha and Oriya will be Odia.
