The Bhasha Suraksha Sammilani has severely criticised the State Government for not constituting a language Commission and not making punishment provision for proper implementation of the Odisha Official language Act 1954 despite repeated demands.
“The Odisha Government has been deceiving the whole Odia clan by not constituting language Commission and making punishment provision for implementation of the language Act,” alleged Sammilani president and former MP Baishnab Parida on Friday.
While 10 months have already elapsed since the Government agreed under pressure from the Sammilani to implement the Act, no action has been taken to implement the same. “Is not it like deceiving people,” wanted to know Parida.
He lamented saying that Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik has remained silent since he promised language movement leaders to constitute a language Commission during a discussion on May 18, 2017 and despite the fact that a draft for the proposed commission submitted to him by him and Prof Nityananda Satpathy.
He too alleged that top concerned Government officers are avoiding language movement leaders now.
Opining the language Act can’t be implemented without formation of a statutory body like language Commission, Parida said, “People can’t forgive the Government for disrespecting and neglecting their language. Hence, the Government should constitute the language Commission and make punishment provision at the earliest.”