The Koshal Kranti Dal (KKD) has decided to oppose the State Government’s move to accord State Anthem status to Bande Utkal Janani scripted by laxmikant Mohapatra decades ago.
“The Odisha Government’s effort to accord State Anthem tag to Bande Utkal Janani is in contravention with the Central Government’s directive of having one anthem for the whole nation. The concept of Federalism or the spirit of unity in diversity does not allow the States to go their own way in matters of national unity,” said KKD vice-president Baidyanath Mishra.
In a Press release, Mishra said the hiatus between the State’s eastern and western parts would be further widened as the song has neither been accepted in the spirit of an anthem in western Odisha nor has it received patriotic response from people of the region.
“Odisha was granted separate Statehood in 1936 after merger of Kalinga, Koshal and Utkal. Eulogising only Utkal, which is nonexistent today, the song will create further division among the three erstwhile States. People of western Odisha will reject such an arbitrary move and, therefore, the Government is warned not to go ahead with the proposal,” Mishra added.
A team of KKD activists sent a memorandum mentioning these points to the Chief Minister through the ADM, Rourkela on Wednesday after members of the outfit staged a demonstration and torched an effigy of Culture Minister Ashok Panda before the ADM office.