The Odia Bhasa Sangram Samiti, a forum of Odia language lovers and organisations, on Friday decided to launch an indefinite stir here at Mahatma Gandhi Marg from July 1 demanding use of Odia as official language in the Government correspondences. People from different walks of life, organisations and leaders across the party lines would participate in the strike to press the demand, said Samiti convenor Sankarsan Parida at a Press conference.
He added that many Odia organisations outside the State have also given their consent to participate in the dharna in front of the State Assembly. “So far, no visible measures have been taken by the State Government to implement the Orissa Official languages Act, 1954. Moreover, the Government has failed to promote Odia even after the language got Classical status,” said noted linguist Debi Prasanna Pattanayak. Coordination committees have been formed to intensify the stir at the district level too.