International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD)

Volume 4 Issue 3, April 2020 Available Online: www.ijtsrd.com e-ISSN: 2456 – 6470

The Odisha Official Language Act and

Language Movement in 21st Century Ad
Suresh Chandra Rajahansa
Assistant Professor of Odia (O.E.S-I), Government College (Auto), Angul, Odisha, India

ABSTRACT How to cite this paper: Suresh Chandra

The Odia language, since its inception has played a significant role in Rajahansa "The Odisha Official Language
establishing the uniqueness of the people of Odisha.In the 12th century AD Act and Language Movement in 21st
Chodagangadev of Eastern-Ganga family has established “Sakalatkola” and Century Ad"
made the Odia language the dominant speech in this land. In 15th century AD Published in
the great pioneer of Odia Identity ‘Kapilendradev’ used the word ‘Odisha’ and International Journal
introduced ‘Odia’ as the Official Language in his empire. After 1568 this of Trend in Scientific
community has lost the hard earned Identity and this was again restored in Research and
1936 with the creation of Odisha state on Language basis. After introduction of Development
Indian Constitution in 1950 the provision in Art.345-351 resulted in the “The (ijtsrd), ISSN: 2456- IJTSRD30775
Orissa Official language Act, 1954”. Though we got the Act for the use of Odia 6470, Volume-4 |
Language in all official purposes of Odisha still we are thousand miles behind Issue-3, April 2020, pp.1057-1063, URL:
the achievement of ‘Kapilendradev’ in 15th Century AD. Now in the 21st www.ijtsrd.com/papers/ijtsrd30775.pdf
Century after 71 years of the establishment of democracy in India, ‘Black Flag
march’ have been organising in the banner of ‘Bhasa Andolan’every day since Copyright © 2020 by author(s) and
13-04-2016 till date. After amendment and official notifications it is still to be International Journal of Trend in Scientific
implemented in the real term of the above Act in Odisha..In this paper Research and Development Journal. This
emphasis is given on the attempts made to implement the above Act; the is an Open Access article distributed
successes and failures, stumbling blocks on path; necessity of the use of Odia under the terms of
Language in administration and the relevance of present day Odia Language the Creative
Movement in Odisha. The study is qualitative and descriptive in nature basing Commons Attribution
upon secondary data. License (CC BY 4.0)
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by
KEYWORDS: Odia Language, Odisha Official Language Act, Odia Identity, /4.0)
Language movement
1. INTRODUCTION
The geographical lands, the people, the Language, the every day since 13-04-2016 till date. Though the Odisha
Culture we are living in are the contributions of our state was created on the basis of language in 1936, still the
ancestors. The Odia Language and Culture have united the Odia people are fighting for their language in the 21st century
people of this land previously segregated as Odra, Utkala, before their own administration, in the age of knowledge and
Kalinga, Kongada and Kosala . The Odia language in the technology. The language movement in 19th and 20th century
process of evolution took its concrete form in 10th century was in a British occupied state while the present language
AD and during that period the Somavamsi rulers united all movement is in a province running under democracy of an
the independent kingdoms politically and culturally into one. independent country.
The political unification fostered the growth of a common
language in Odisha- the “Odia Language”. In the 13th and 14th 2. Odia Language before Official Language Act-1954.
century AD the Imperial Ganga rulers laid the foundation of 2.1. Odia Language in the Pre-British Regime.
modern Odisha by uniting all the territories into one in the The people of this land were politically un-organised and
name of “Sakalatkola” and made the Odia language the culturally primitive up to the establishment of Somavamsis
dominant speech in this land. In 15th century Kapilendradev rule .The Somavamsis rulers spread the culture of Shaivism
used the word ‘Odisha’ and introduced ‘Odia’ as the Official and score more political mileage to unite Odisha under
Language of his empire. After that the Afghans, the Moghuls, single administration which laid the foundation of formative
the Marathas and the Britishers occupied Odisha and stage of Odia Identity on the basis of Odia language and
jeopardised the Odia language and Identity up to 1936.Only culture. In this connection notable historian Prof.K .C
because of the language movement in 19th and 20th century it .Panigrahi said that:-
could have restored. After the introduction of Constitution in
1950 we became able to prepare an act ‘The Orissa Official “Up to the ninth-tenth century AD what is now known as
Language Act, 1954’on 14th Oct.1954 to use ‘Odia’ as our Orissa consisted of three political and cultural units
official language. But due to the apathy of administration yet known as Kosala, Utkala and Kongoda and these three
we have to implement the act in its real terms. The Act has units were united under one rule by the Somavamsis.We
been amended a numerous time till date but due to the lack have seen that Yajati-I occupied Orissa about 931AD and
of modus operandi in supervision and award punishment Yajati-II was requested by the people and ministers of the
still it is far behind the goal. In a protest to this greater cause state to be the king of all these three distinct territories.
‘The Bhasa Andolan” has been organising ‘Black Flag march’ From the reign of Yajati-II the capital of the Somavamsi

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kingdom was shifted from Kosala to the coastal region of The notification made by the then Secretary of Bengal
Orissa. These political changes fostered the growth of a province in 1838 for the use of vernacular language in place
common language in Orissa. The people of the Kosala of Persian in the court and revenue matter of the
tract originally spoke a language which was akin to the government since 01-01-1839, became a turning point in the
Bhojapuri Prakrita,while the language of the coastal strip history of language movement of Odisha. The establishment
had family affinity with Magadhi. These two branches of of English and vernacular schools, the Lord Hardinge
Prachya Prakrita met and mingled in Orissa and formed a resolution of 11th October 1844 and Woods Despatch of
new language which came to be known as Oriya”.01. 1854 on education, the Lt. Governor George Campbell’s
scholarship scheme and reformed educational
After Somavamsis the Imperial Gangas established their rule administration resulted in a gradual transformation of the
all over the Odisha and gave opportunity to the Odia people mental horizon of the people of this land. From the
to enjoy independent Identity during 14th and 15th century organisational set up of Bhenkateswar Beu, the Raja of
AD. During the Ganga rule in Odisha Sanskrit language was Katinga to the ‘Utkala Sabha’ and ‘Utkal Sammilani’, sacrifice
patronised but the Odia Language has taken its place in the of Madhusudan Das, Gourishankar Roy, Basudev Sudhaldev,
heart of the general public which resulted in the formation of Fakirmohan Senapati, Krushna Chandra Gajapati ,Rajendra
Odia Identity on the basis of language.In the 15th century AD Narayan Bhanja Deo,Harihar Mardaraj, Sripati Mishra,
the Odia language under the patronisation of ‘Kapilendradev’ Chandrashekhar Behara, Baikunthanath Pujari, Nilamani
influenced our life, culture and administration to a great Vidyaratna and support of A. L. H. Fraser, T. E. Ravenshaw,
extent. In the words of historian Dr.N.K Sahu and others:- John Beams etc was the fighting for language based Odia
Identity only. It was felt by every fellowmen of this country
“The accession of Kapilendradeva in 1435AD marks a that language is the important part of nationalism and
turning point in the history and culture in Orissa. It is identity. They fought for the cause which resulted in the
not only put an end to the long rule of the Gangas Language movement of 1870 and the Sambalpur language
extending over a period of about one thousand years, movement of 1895 –1905. This language movement was
but also brought about a significant change in the meant for the restoration of Odia language in official use and
cultural life of the state. From that time onward the for medium of instruction in Schools of Odisha. Regarding
Oriya language was recognised in place of Sanskrit as the importance of language in public life M. M. Malaviya
the official language and Jagannath as the state deity”.02. quotes that;-

After 1568 the Odisha state became a apple of discord “It is highly important that Justice should be
between the Afghans and Moghuls. Though the hard earned administered in the language familiar to the judge, but it
identity was jeopardised the great litterateur like Balaram is of no less importance that it should be administered in
Das,Jagannath Das, Abhimanyu Samanta Simhara,Banamli a language familiar...to the people at large; and it is
Das,Brajanath Badajena, Upendra Bhanja,Dinakrushna easier for the judge to acquire the language of the people
Das,Arakshita Das,Gopalakrushna etc kept intact the than for the people to acquire the language of the
linguistic movement of Odisha.Odia literature developed to a judge”.-04.
greater height without the patronisation of Afghans and
Moghuls. So it was the Odia language which played an important role
to unify the dis-integrated people of Odisha . In 1936 the
2.2. Odia Language in the British Regime. separate state of Odisha was created on the basis of
In the year 1803 the British East India Company occupied language. This movement was an organised effort of Odia
Odisha in a piecemeal manner and administered the region linguistic community to establish their linguistic identity.
in dividing Odisha into three parts in which the Southern According to Santosh Kumar Barik in his article “The Oriya
part was tagged with Madras Presidency, the coastal region Language: Its past, present and future-A General survey”
with Bengal and the western part with the Central province. quotes that;-
The Odia people became linguistic minority group in the
Telgu, Bengali and Hindi dominated provinces.Though the “Many external forces opposed its continuance and
people of Odisha were politically disintegrated, their made conspiracies to wipe it out. But this language has
language and literature was one, their cultural and religious survived despite the conspiracies and criticism which
practices was one, which leads them towards the restoration bears ample testimony to its inner strength and
of political, linguistic and cultural Identity in the first half of resilience”.-05.
20th centuryAD. For the formation of Identity the role of
Language is more important. In this connection the editor of 2.3. Odia Language After 1936
the journal ‘Utkala Sahitya’ and the General Secretary ‘Utkala The separate state of Odisha was created on the basis of
Sahitaya Samaj’ Bishwanath Kar in his address on the favourable report submitted by Sinha Committee in 1920
occasion of second annual session of the above organisation and Phillip-Duff Committee in 1924 and the pressure built by
said that; - Bhubanananda Das and other members of Bihar-Odisha
Assembly.From 1936 to 1946 the Odisha administration was
“Religion, Polity and language are the three important placed under the premiers. Though our State was created on
factors for the formation of a nation. Language is the the basis of language no efforts have been initiated during
most important factor which creates the network of this time to use the Odia language in the administration. The
strong relationships amongst the fellow countrymen by dream of Odia nationalists who fought a long battle and
spreading the message of national importance and restored Odia identity in 1936 remain a far cry.
future plan for the achievement of own Identity’’.03.

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2.4. Odia Language after Independence. human being is professing; “Government is of the people, by
After independence the MLA of Baragarh –East constituency the people and for the people”. During the British
Mr. Laxinarayan Mishra had placed a proposal before the administration the Bengali peoples were against the Odia
Odisha Legislative Assembly on 1st April 1948 to use ‘Odia” language but after independence our own people are
as the official language of Odisha to which Mr. Bose the MLA betraying since the inception of the Act till date. The act have
of Cuttack vehemently opposed with the support of the then been amended for about five times in the year 1963, 1985,
Law Minister Mr. Nityananda Kanungo.In this situation the 2016 &2018 but till now Odia language is neglected in the
use of ‘Odia” as the official language became a distant dream. Odisha administration and public instruction. Though the
worthy predecessors of Odia community could achieve
On the 12th day of May 1950 Nabakrushna Choudhury success in restoring Odia in administration and public
became the Chief Minister of Odisha and as a popular instruction during the British regime the present generation
measure of his statesmanship, he took interest to run the is deprived from the same in 21st century AD when
state administration in the people’s language. All the higher democracy prevailed.
officials were against this proposal as most of them were
non-odia people. In this context Mr. Padmacharan Nayak 3. Constitutional Provision for the Official Language.
stated in his book ‘Anirvana’ that:- Article 345: The state legislature of a state may by law adopt
any one or more of the languages in use in the State or
“The then (1950) Chief Secretary raised his voice against Hindi as the language or languages to be used for all or any
the above proposal with a plea that; while the of the official purposes of that State.
vernacular language has not been used as the official
language in the other States of Idia, why so eagerness is Article347:If the President is satisfied that a substantial
in the Odisha ?This will create problems in the proportion of the population of a State desire the use of any
communication to the Central Government and the language spoken by them to be recognised by that State,
office of Accountant General. 06. direct that such language shall also be officially recognised
throughout that state or any part thereof for such purpose as
In spite of the apathetic attitude of higher officials in the year he may specify.
1952 Nabakrushna Choudhury took necessary steps to
prepare an English-Odia Administrative Glossary. Though all Article 350: Every person shall be entitled to submit a
officials were against the introduction of Odia language in representation for the redress of any grievance to any officer
administration the Hon’ble.CM Nabakrushna Choudhury or authority of the Union or a State in any of the languages
started to give his note in govt. files in Odia language from used in the Union or in the State, as the case may be.
23rd April 1954. In this year the Orissa Official Language Act,
1954 was passed on 14th October. To implement this act in The provision in Article-345&347 always justified for the
real term steps were taken to prepare Odia Key-Board and Odia community while Article-350 is a basic right to them
Type Writer. In this context Mr. Padmacharan Nayak stated .On the basis of these provision ‘The Odisha Official
in his book ‘Anirvana’ that:- Language Act’ have been implemented in the state but in
practice it is now only a paper tiger and the Odia people are
“To implement the Odisha Official Language Act a getting deprived of their long desired fruit .
committee was constituted under the chairmanship of
Gajendra Mitra, Director, Department of Industries 4. The Odisha Official Language Act.
where Manmohan Choudhury was a member. On the 4.1. The Orissa Official Language Act, 1954. (14th
recommendation of this committee Key Board was Oct.1954)
prepared and order was placed before the Remington The Odisha Official Language Act is in operative in Odisha
company in 1956 to manufacture and supply Odia since 1954.The important provision of the Act and the
Typewriter .07. Amendments are as details below:-

Notwithstanding the initiative and statesmanship of the then It is expedient to provide for the adoption of Oriya as the
Chief Minister Nabakrushna Choudhury all the officials language to be used for all or any of the official
became disloyal to the public and created stumbling blocks purposes of the State of Orissa.
on the way of the implementation of the said act. According Sec-1(2)-It Extends to the Whole of Orissa.
to the statement of Surendra Mohanty in ‘Surendra (3)-It shall come into force at once.
Bichitra’:- Sec-2(1)-Without prejudice to the provisions of Article-346
“In fact the history of Odisha Official Language Act-1954 and 347 of the constitution Oriya shall be the language to be
is tragic in nature. Most probably it is rare in the history used for all or any of the official purposes of the State of
of bureaucratic red-tapism.08. Orissa.

“To bring back the glory of Odia language from exile, (2)-The State Government may, by notification, direct that in
either we have to convert the infertile brains of Odisha any specified area and with effect from any specified date
secretariat or to keep them out from the scene. A Oriya shall be used in respect of such official purposes as
community cannot wait for an uncertain period at the may be specified in the notification.
vested interest of a powerful bureaucaracy.09.
Sec-3- After notification Oriya language to be used for all
This observation clearly reflects the apathetic attitude of Bills introduced, Acts passed and Amendments by the Orissa
bureaucrats of Odisha for the use of ‘Odia language’ in state Legislative Assembly, all Ordinances promulgated by the
administration after independence whiles the modern Governor under Art-213 of our constitution and all Orders,

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Rules, Regulations, Bye-laws etc issued by State protest to this the language movement of 21st century AD has
Government under the constitutional provision shall be been started under the banner of ‘Bhasa Andolan’ since 13-
Oriya. 04-2016.

4.2. The Orissa Official Language (Amendment) Act, 5. Early Study on the” Orissa Official Language Act,
1963. , (30th Oct.1963) 1954’.
Section 3A inserted in the Act. Having provision- the English 5.1. Prof. Banshidhar Mohanty (1989) in ‘Odia Bhasa
language may as from the 26th day of January Andolan’:-
1965, continue to be used in addition to Oriya for the suggested that; to implement the above act training to
transaction of business in Legislature of the State officials for noting, drafting in Odia is necessary. The entire
of Orissa. official should talk with the people in Odia language. To use
English language is a complete betrayal to the People of
4.3. The Orissa Official Language (Amendment) Act, Odisha.
1985, (23rd Sept.1985)
Section-2(Amendment)-Where Oriya shall be used as the 5.2. On 21st June 1995 ‘Institute of Language, Literature
language for Official purposes the Oriya numerals shall not and Culture” (ILLAC) was organised a Seminar on the
be used and international form of Indian numerals should be topic “Odisha Official Language Act” where different
used. views were generated and some important out of that
is;-
4.4. The Odisha Official Language (Amendment) Act,
Dr. Aravinda Pattanaik said; - We have 1, 85,000 words
2016, (06th Oct.2016) in the ‘Purnachandra Odia Bhasakosa’ and can be
Insertion of New sections 4and 5. utilised for the implementation of the Act. Further he
Section-4-The State Government may, within such period, in opined that ‘with the use of Odia as Official Language,
such manner and by such authority, as may be prescribed in the State administration will be people friendly. It will
the rules made under this Act, review and monitor whether encourage people’s participation in the development’.
the direction contained in the notification issued under sub-
Dr. Deviprasanna Pattanaik said: - There should be a
section(2) of section 2 has been effectively implemented. state language policy for the development of people.
Section-5-The State Government may make rules to carry
Mr. Manmohan Choudhury said: The Act is yet to be
out the purposes of the Act. properly implemented due to the apathetic attitude of
administration. Though the officials and political
4.5. The Odisha Official Language (Amendment) Act, representative are living on the tax payer, still they are
2018, (27th April 2018) betraying. Further he said that the neck-tie culture is
Insertion of New section 4A. controlling the secretariat administration and one day it
Section-4A-The State Government may prescribe suitable will drag into the extinction of our language and culture.
measures in the rules to award incentives to officials or
Mr. Sahadev sahoo(ICS) put forth a view that, the Orissa
Departments for extensive use of the official language and Official Language Act should be implemented without
also to punish the erring officials or departments. any exception, otherwise it will failed again as was the
order of 1968.He also said, if Odia language will be the
4.6. The Odisha Official Language (Second official language for only 10 years it will generate more
Amendment) Act, 2018, (31st Oct.2018) interest than the 110 years of(1837-1947) English use.
Section-4A (Amendment)-‘Odia’ before Official Language
Mr. Tara Dutta(ICS) emphasized that, ‘Odia is the
‘Or both’ after Department to be inserted in the 2018 Act. peoples language and should be used for the governance
of Odia people’.
The Sec-1 of the Act says that; It extends to the whole of
Dr. Ranjita Nayak opined that ‘Computer should be in
Orissa and (sub-sec-2) and it shall come into force at Odia language and necessary steps should be taken by
once.Sec-2(1) says; Odia shall be the language to be used for the concern agencies.
all or any of the official purposes of the State of Odisha. The
official work in Odia at the base level offices were going on in 5.3. Mr. Gajanan Mishara; Writing an article in ‘Samaj’ in
response to the provision of the Act but after the insertion of December 2014- advocated for the use of Odia
Section 3A in 1963 having provision to use English language language in subordinate judiciary. In March 2015 he
from the 26th day of January 1965, in addition to Odia for the appealed openly to the people of Odisha for a
transaction of business in Legislature of the State of Orissa, indefinite hunger strike from the 1st April 2015 for the
the English language occupied the dominant place. Though implementation of the Act. Later on in September
provision has been made in 2016 in the Section-4 of the act 2016 he expressed his agony on the ineffective steps
for review and monitoring of its effective implementation. It of Ministerial committee scheduled on 01-08-2015
is observed that no monitoring and supervision has been and suggested penal provision in the act.
made and the act has not been implemented to its real term.
After so many hue and cries in the public the government 5.3. Mr.Hrudayaballav Dash” 23/08/2014 in ‘Samaj’- gave
has again inserted a new section -4A in 2018 to the act with a call to the government for the implementation of the
a provision of incentives to the officials or Departments for act and said that patronisation of administration is
extensive use of the official language and also to punish the necessary.
erring officials or departments. But it is a matter of great
5.5. Mr.Panchanan Kanungo, Samaj, 15/09/2015; said
concern that due to the lack of modus operandi in the
extensive use of Odia language in school and college
incentive and punishment provision there is no more
curriculum is required in addition to the office
development in the implementation of the Act till date. As a
administration.

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5.6. Mr. Subhashish Panigrahi, Samaj, 13/04/2014, ‘Administrative Glossary’ prepared in 1997 by the Law
25/12/2014, and 21/02/2015 advocated for the use Department, Government of Odisha. Another notification
of Odia in technical field along with the development was issued in 2005 by the Assembly Secretariat that all the
of technology to facilitate odia language for its files, drafts, proposals, proceedings and written
extensive use. communication will be made in Odia language. But all the
efforts were in vain. As all the notifications and directions
All the above views between 1989-2016 are genuine in their were not fruitful in their spirit. Again order was issued by
spirit and restricted to the implementation of the Act. But in the GA Department in 2012,2013 &2014 seeking a progress
present days more feathers has been added to the act. In report from the Heads of Departments and District
spite of all provisions the state administration is apathetic to Collectors about the steps taken to implement ‘Odia’ as the
the matter what is reflected in the above views. Official Language .

6. ‘The Orissa Official Language Act, 1954’. (14th In the process of implementation of the Act the “Odisha
Oct.1954): Success and Failures. Official Language Committee” was formed in
6.1. Government Initiative to Implement the Act. 1969.Prof.Bansidhar Mohanty said that:
The Odisha Official Language Act has a provision in the sub-
section (3) of section -1 that it shall come in to force at once “The “Odisha Official Language Committee” formed in
and in the sub-section (2) of said act is that it extends to the 1969 under the chairmanship of Law Minister had
whole of Odisha. But in practice it has no teeth and took translated various rules and regulations of Government.
shelter in the red-taping process. Though it was not The committee was constituted by taking specialists in
introduced to its real term and conditions there was the field of science, Language, literature, Law and others
amendment to this act in 1963 termed as “The Orissa Official to make the translation process successful.” 10.
Language (Amendment) Act, 1963”, to use English language
in addition to Odia for the transaction of business in “Though the “Odisha Official Language Committee” is
Legislature of the State of Odisha. After this amendment all working in translation and other works by appointing
the officials used English language only and shown special officers and its progress was very slow. To
stepmother attitude towards the peoples language of Odisha implement the Act separate Directorate should be
which has given an Identity to this community on language created to expedite the work”.11.
basis. In response to the said act a notification vide
No:8189/Dt.14.04.1966 was issued by the Political On the implementation of this Act Prof.Mohanty with great
&Services Department, Govt. of Orissa, that “Oriya shall be concern stated that:-
used in the whole of the state of Orissa in respect of the “During the Britsh rule in Odisha ‘Odia’ language was
official purposes in the Departments of Community used in the Revenue and Excise Department, Sub-
Development & PanchayatiRaj, Revenue, Tribal&Rural registrar Office, Tsahalis Office and also petition in the
Welfare, Education and Forestry with effect from courts. The arguments in courts were also in the Odia
16.05.1966.” As this order was not carried out properly by language. But after independence the use of ‘Odia’ as an
the officials another notification vide. No: 7113/Dt.16-04- official language is not to our expectation”. 12.
1968 was issued by the same department with a
modification to the previous one that; “Oriya shall be used in 6.2. Legal Issues for the Implementation of the Act.
all offices of the Heads of Departments within the meaning of A Writ Petition was filed before High court of Odisha in 2007
Rule 20 of the Orissa Service Code and in office subordinate against the refusal of registrar, Civil Court, Bolangir to
to them excepting the office of the Registrar, Orissa High provide a copy of the judgement in Odia language in which
Court and offices of the district judges and offices the appellate court disposed the case having a direction to
subordinate there to in the whole of the state of Orissa”. the said Registrar to reconsider the application of the
Again a notification vide No.7152/Dt.29.03.1985 was issued petitioner under section 173(3) of the Code of Civil
by GA department for the effective use of the said Act. In Procedure.
supersession to all previous notifications issued under the
sub-section-2 of the Act, the State Government do hereby Another Writ Petition was filed before High court of Odisha
direct that with effect from 1st Day of April 1985 Oriya shall in 2012 against the refusal of Civil Judge (Sr.Divn.), Titilagarh
be used in all offices of the State Government excepting to provide a copy of the written statement of the defendant
Judiciary. After that the act was again amended in1985 and in Odia language in which the appellate court disposed the
2016 and section 4 and 5 was inserted to it with the case having a direction to the said Civil Judge (Sr.Divn.),
provision of review and monitor of the implementation of Titilagarh to reconsider the application of the petitioner
the above said act. After the amendment of 1985 a under section 173(3) of the Code of Civil Procedure within
notification was issued in 1994 by the School and Education fifteen days.
Department to introduce Odia as the compulsory examinable
subject in English medium schools. In the month of April Again in 2012 a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed with
1995 an order was issued from the Chief Minister Office a prayer to issue order for the proper implementation of
(CMO) that all the files placed before the Chief Minister must Odisha Official Language Act-1954 and to take appropriate
be prepared in Odia language. In the year 1999 a notification legal action against the officials who violate the provision in
was issued by the Revenue Department in which it was the use of Odia as Official language. In this case the court has
stated that; in spite of various official notifications it is directed the petitioner to file a representation before the
observed that the noting and drafting in most of the files are Secretary, General Administration, Government of Odisha
in English. This is a matter of regret and should be end at with a permission to approach this court if it is not
once.Furtther all the employees are advised to follow the considered after eight weeks of the filing of representation.

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6.3. Technical problems on the way of Implementation of penal provision placed by Mr. Pattanaik .So the flag march
of the Act got support of general public and the Government of Odisha
During the twentieth century the use of Odia Typewriter in again amended the Act in 2018. The Odisha Official Language
offices could expedite the implementation of the Act. On the (Amendment) Act, 2018 newly inserted the section 4A that;
advent of computer the use of Typewriter was neglected, The State Government may prescribe suitable measures in
though there was provision for External software like Leap the rules to award incentives to officials or Departments for
office, Akruti etc. The use of ‘Odia’ in office got a severe blow extensive use of the official language and also to punish the
and English occupied the throne. Though in present scenario erring officials or departments. With this amendment the
computer has inbuilt odia language like ‘Unicode’ still we are Government of Odisha declared the extensive use of Odia
far away from the implementation the Act only because of language in every official transaction from April 2019. But in
our apathetic attitude and lack of awareness. Special training practice no department or officials are using ‘Odia’ as the
to the officials with the help of language specialists, Official language and no department or official have been
appointment of translator and Odia language specialist in punished for the violation of this Act till date. It is happening
offices may accelerate the process of the implementation of due to the absence of terms and conditions and details of
this Act. Due to the lack of knowledge in Odia language our penal provision in the Act. So keeping the stand intact ‘Bhasa
officials are translating ‘issue’ as ‘Nirgamana’ and so many Andolan’ under the chairmanship of Mr.Subhas Chandra
others. Now after the introduction of “The Odisha Official Pattanaik ‘Blak Flag March’ has been organising everyday to
Language (Amendment) Act, 2018, having the provision of fulfil basic aim and objectives of the Act, at the greater
award incentives to officials or Departments for extensive interest of general public to be governed in the peoples
use of the official language and also to punish the erring language. The Andolan or Language movement is continuing
officials or departments, it is observed that neither a single though we are in the 21st Century where technological
department or official is interested to receive incentives or knowledge exploration is in the maximum height.
have a fear to be punished. It happened due to the absence of
modus operandi of the punishment provision and ‘Odia’ language is the identity of the peoples of Odisha as
supervision thereof. defined by H.Giles &P.Johnson on the Identity theory of
H.Tajfel, ‘Language is a salient marker of group membership
7. Present Day Language movement in Odisha. and social identity’. This theory has been successfully
After observing the apathetic attitude of state administration experimented through the language movement of Odisha in
the elite people of Odia community have taken the shelter of 19th and 2oth century.The political and cultural unification of
journalism to raise their voice against the injustice and Somavansi rulers foster the growth of a common language in
betrayal done to them as discussed above in the literature Odisha- the “Odia Language”. Patronisation of Odia language
review. Then the people resorted to organised movement by ‘Kapilendradev’ brought a revolutionary change in the
and formed various organisations for the purpose. The‘Bhasa history of Odia identity and formation of Odisha. Now a day
Surakshya Sammilani’, ‘Bhasa Sangram Samiti’ ,‘Samaj in 21st century we are lacking behind this achievement. After
Andolan’ and ‘Bhasa Andolan’ are the most important out of creation of separate Odisha state in 1936 and also after
them.The hunger strike of Gajanan Mishra, the demand of independence the people in administration of this land did
‘Bhasa Surakshya Sammilani’ under the chairmanshisp of not taken proper care for the use of Odia language in
Baishnav Charan Parida, ‘Bhasa Sangram Samiti’ under administration and due to this we are suffering till date and
Shankarsan Parida and others, ‘Samaj Andolan’ under the the ‘Black Flag March’ is going on. The Act is now a toothless
chairmanship of Kulamani Nayak and ‘Bhasa Andolan’ under paper tiger only. After 1947 Odia peoples have the Acts, rules
the chairmanship of Subhas Chandra Pattanaik awaken the and regulations, law and administration, institute and
Government of Odisha again to implement the Odisha Official technology, education and resources but their mother
Language Act. In this connection a Ministerial Committee language is far away from administration. But the role of
was formed to chalk out the Modus Operandi for the language for a community is most important. According to
implementation of the said Act in real term. In this the view of M.T.Cicero “Nothing is so akin to our natural
committee, members were taken from various field of feelings as the rhythms and sounds of voices. They rouse and
specialisation along with representation from the inflame us, calm us and soothe us and often lead us to joy
organisations fighting for the above cause. In this committee and sadness”.
as a representative of ‘Bhasa Sangram Samiti’ Subhas
Chandra Pattanaik has placed some proposals for the 8. Conclusion
amendment of the above Act for effective implementation. On the above discussion the inference derived is that;
But his proposal for the punishment provision to the erring
The strong Somavamsi administration could unite the
officials was kept in bay. In a protest to the betrayal of people of this land politically and culturally which
Ministerial committee the ‘Bhasa Andolan’ under the resulted in the origin and development of Odia Language
chairmanship of Subhas Chandra Pattanaik has started in 10th century AD.
‘Black Flag March’ on 13-04-2016 with a demand of penal
The strong administration and statesmanship of
provision in the Odisha Official Language Act to ensure Kapilendradev could create the “Odisha” state and made
proper implementation of governance of Odisha in Odia. As a the peoples language as the Official Language of Odisha
scheduled programme the flag march commences everyday in1435AD.
at 05.00PM outside the Assembly and culminates at
The strong protest of Odia people could put mounting
Madhubabu’s statue near the Governor House square after pressure on the British administration for the use of
paying floral tribute to the Grand old man and the chief vernacular language in the court and revenue matters.
architect of modern Odisha. The ‘Odisha Official Language
The organised language movement in 19th and 20th
(Amendment) Act, 2016’ did not incorporated the proposal century could restore Odia identity in 1936.

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 International Journal of Trend in Scientific Research and Development (IJTSRD) @ www.ijtsrd.com eISSN: 2456-6470
But in modern Odisha Odia people forget to use the same [7] Ibid,-P-216.
canon for its development as soon it took birth. As the
[8] Mohanty, Surendra, Surendra Bichitra, Friend’s
scholars stated above for the proper implementation of this
Publishers, Cuttack, 3rd, 1996, p-137.
Act, besides the training, technology, development of sources
the administrative patronisation is the most important factor [9] Ibid, p-138.
.In this regard I am agree with the views of above scholars.
[10] Mohanty, Prof.Banshidhar, Odia Bhasa
The proposal of Mr.Gajanan Mishra (Samaj, Odia Bhasa
Andolan,Sahitya Sangrah Prakashan, Cuttack, 2nd,
Aainra karyakari kebe?) and Mr.Subhas Pattanaik demand
2001, P- 132.
for penal provision is very noteworthy and only because of
that shortcoming the Act is yet to be properly implemented [11] Ibid, P-131.
.The present day language movement is the consequence of
[12] Ibid, P-106.
the lack of statesmanship in administration and the
infringement of the basic right of Odia community. The [13] Formation of Separate Orissa Province, 1st, 2011,
language movement in 19th and 20th century was in a British Odisha State Archives, Bhubaneswar.
occupied state while the present language movement is in a
province running under democracy of an independent [14] Hota, Satakadi, Odia Jatiyatara Utsa, Lark Books,
country. Bhubaneswar, 2017.
[15] Kashyap, Subhash.C, Our Constitution, NBT, India, New
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[2] Sahu, Dr. N. K, MIshra, Dr. P. K, Sahu, Dr. J. K, History of
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[3] Kar, Bishwanath, Bibidha Prabandha, Utkala Sahitya
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[4] King C. R. One Language, Two Scripts, Oxford
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M. Malaviya, Court character and primary education in [20] The Orissa Official Language (Amendment) Act, 1963.
N.W.P and Oudh)
[21] The Orissa Official Language (Amendment) Act, 1985.
[5] Barik, Satosh Kumar, Orissa Past and Present, Viswa
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[6] Nayak, Padmacharan, Anirvana, Vidya Prakasana, [24] The Odisha Official Language (Second Amendment)
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