Border rows remind us of Harishchandra Buxipatra. If we read the life history of former president of Utkal Sammilani, former Minister and the people’s leader Harishchandra Buxipatra, we could know that his work started from border issues and ended with the same border issues. Buxipatra fought to merge Sadheikala-Kharasuan in Odisha and also fought for Odisha’s territorial integrity.
In the year 1953, when Harisbabu was a student leader, the Central Government constituted the “States Reorganisation Commission” (SRC) to recommend the reorganisation of State boundaries. Buxipatra demanded before the SRC to merge Sadheikala-Kharasuan in Odisha. But in the final report of the SRC, Sadheikala-Kharasuan remained in the State of Bihar.
At that time there was resentment against the Central Government. For the cause in 1956 in Odisha, there was a student strike for Odisha boarder. The role of Buxipatra is rememberable as a student leader. He got another chance to do in his older age what he could not achieve as a student leader. In the year 1998 after the death of the then president of Utkal Sammilani, Dr Radhanath Rath, Buxipatra became the president of Utkal Sammilani. On other hand in 1999, the Central Government decided to create a new State which was named as Jhadkhand. Some areas along with the Sadheikala-Kharasuan of Bihar were decided to be parts of the new State.
Buxipatra took it as a challenge and being the president of Utkal Sammilani started work to merge the Odia speaking areas mainly Sadheikala-Kharasuan with Odisha. On August 11, 2000 through the Utkal Sammilani, he led a historical movement “Odisha Bandh” and got success. In this movement, all political parties of our State also supported his act, but due to non-cooperation of the Central Government for the second time, Sadheikala-Kharasuan could not merge into Odisha.
Odisha is facing many problems in the border. Our neighbouring States are always eager to acquire our border areas. For the first time in 1936 the Orissa was formed as an Odia speaking State. At the time of formation of the State or at the time of “Gadjata Misrana” many Odia speaking areas could not merge in our State. But now our neighbouring States are trying to acquire areas inside Odisha. So in peacefull State like ours, the peace is destroyed in border areas.
If we see the news of last one month we can know the position of our border areas. After Kotia gram panchayat of Koraput district, the Andhra Pradesh has been trying to acquire other places like Narayanapatana, etc. On the other side, West Bengal is trying to acquire some places unauthorisedly in Baleswar district like Sahabajipur and Sankhamedipur villages. The Chhatishgarh Government also is distributing Odisha land.
Like this, in 96 villages the border disputes are there. The Central Government should look after these problems and should try to solve the State boundary issues.
To solve the Kotia issue with Andhra Pradesh in 1968, the Odisha Government went to the Supreme Court. On 30-03-2006 the apex court said as per Article-131 the State border problems are not within the purview of Supreme Court. So SC cannot decide this matter. Hence, the ball remains in the court of the Parliament which has the power to solve the matter. So the Central Government should establish a wing to solve the border problems in our country. And all problems relating to the border issues within the States should be solved within coming one or two years. Then, the sole of Buxipatra will get peace.
(The writer is president, Utkal Sammilani, Mancheswar Branch, Bhubaneswar. Phone: 9938537600)