The present Odia generation is losing interest in its own mother language as a result of which the language which has received classical recognition is not getting the desired promotion, lamented speakers at a meeting entitled, ‘Bhasa Suraksha Sammelani.’ It was organised here on October 12 last. The speakers said that Odia language would prosper if the same becomes close to life and livelihood of the people.
The speakers also lamented that a decision adopted during the time of former Chief Minister Naba Krushna Choudhary of using Odia in Government offices and for all official correspondence was not yet implemented in the State. They felt the need to launch another movement for promotion of Odia.
Sammelani convener and Rajya Sabha member Baisnab Parida emphasised on the protection and propagation of Odia.
The meeting stressed on a 15-point charter of demands which included implementation of the decision of 1954 on official use of Odia, declaration of Odia as a State language, writing name of railway stations in Odia, tickets, advertisements and sign boards for commercial establishment, industries and factories in Odia and question papers for all competitive exams in Odia, among others. While Dr Ramakanta Behera presided over the meeting, laxmidhar Behera, Kalipada Panda, Rabinarayan Dash, Dr Vijyananda Singh, Prof Manoranjan Pradhan, Dr Prahallad Mohanty, Dr Kartikeswar Patra, Dr Srikant Charan Patra, Dr Ramesh Nayak and Subasini Jena spoke.