The Sanskarbadi, a socio-cultural organisation, has demanded that Odia be used as official language in the State and by private individuals in invitation cards as well. The organisation has made a resolution to sensitise all concerned in this regard on the occasion of Sastriya Odia Bhasa Divas to be observed State-wide on March 11.
The meeting was convened by founder of the Sanskarbadi and social activist Trinath Maharana in which BJP leader Rama Chandra Panda, SMIT Group president Bhagaban Gantayat, former Ganjam Bar Association president Bhagaban Sahu, lokashakti Abhiyan State chief Prafulla Kumar Samantray, journalist Rabi Rath; Teacher’s Association president Himnanshu Pattnaik, vice-president Vikari Gouda and IMC vice-president Padmacharan Sahu spoke.
They lamented that though one year has already passed since Odia was declared classical language on March 11, 2014, nothing has been done to uphold the language by the Government.
Stating that Odia was used as written language by government offices and courts in different periods in the past like in 1897 and 1954, they urged upon the common people to print their invitation cards in Odia language henceforth.
The members decided to hold awareness programmes on March 11 to observe ‘Sastriya Odia Bhasa Divas’. The members would garland the statutes and photos of Maharaja Krushna Chandra Gajapati, Dibakar Pattnaik, Brundaban Nayak, Gopabandhu Das, Madhusudan Das, Mahatma Gandhi, Mohan Nayak, Sashibhusan Rath.
Besides, a massive procession will be brought out from the Jagannath Temple from Bada Bazar the Giri Market where a public meeting would be organised in the afternoon.