KalingaTV News Network
Bhubaneswar: In a significant milestone, “Bhasha Andolan Odisha”, a premiere Odia language movement in Odisha, on Friday completed 500 days of its movement and witnessed 415 days of its Black Flag March demanding enactment of a law making use of ‘Odia’ mandatory in all official business with provision for punishment to whoever contravenes the Orissa Official Language Act, 1954.
Freedom fighters Somanath Patra and Dolagovinda Pradhan, Social activist Dr Asit Das, and retired bureaucrat Dambarudhara Haransing took part in the historic march on Friday.
On May 21, 2017, the state government had brought an amendment to the Orissa Official Language Act, 1954 through an ordinance to use Odia language in state governance. But the members of Bhasa Andolan continued with their black flag protest march as the government didn’t add the provision of punishment for any violation of the law.
Since April 13, 2016, members of the Bhasa Andolan have been conducting relay protest march from PMG Square to Rajbhavan Square here at 5 PM every evening. Since Sec 144 is in place in the area covered by the protesters round the year, four members of the Bhasa Andolon march silently, holding placards and black flags every day.
Besides Bhubaneswar, Black Flag Marches have been organised for the cause of the native language in several other places in the state, including Rourkela, Berhampur, Jajpur, Kandhamal, Nayagarh and Banki.
Chairman of Bhasa Andolan Subhas Chandra Pattanayak, President Pradyumna Satpathy, Convenor Pabitra Maharatha, founder member Tusarkanta Satapathy, and Jayprakash Mishra, Pranab Nandy, Ruturaj Patnaik, Niranjan Sahu etc and many others were present on the occasion.
Kalinga AI