Whither Odia Swabhiman ?

Can the Bengalis accept a Chief Minister who does not know Bengali or Tamils elect a Chief Minister who cannot speak Tamil? The same is true for Punjab, Assam, Maharashtra, Kerala and every other state.  Odisha has a Chief Minister who does not know Odia and this spectacle has happened for the first time in the history of independent India.

When foreigners visit India, they pick up a few Hindi words like ‘namaste’. This kind of knowing a few words in a language may be good as a PR activity, but can such attitude augur well for democratic governance?  After 12 years of ruling Odisha the present Chief Minister knows fewer than 30-40 Odia words, which he pronounces in a most amusing and mocking way that people who love the language find most disconcerting. 

This situation is ironical because of three reasons. Firstly, Odisha happens to be the first state to be created on linguistic basis. The British, having rejected the linguistic principle in 1905 while bi-furcating Bengal, were persuaded by the strong representation of Utkal Sammilani and brought tracts with Odia-speaking population in various provinces to form a separate state of Odisha on 1st April 1936. Secondly, the Chief Minister claims to inherit the legacy of Biju Patnaik, whose love for Odisha and Kalinga is a matter of folklore. Thirdly, Biju Janata Dal claims to be a regional outfit wedded to protecting the interest of Odisha! Can there be a greater irony?

After independence language became the main principle for state re-organisation. Odisha was spared the trouble of mass movement and prolonged agitations. Take for example the upheaval that Punjab went through during the Punjabi suba movement in 1950s or Andhra went through for getting statehood. The people of Odisha were spared all these trouble by an earlier generation of enlightened patriots who had clinched the issue way back in 1936. Should we, therefore, be unconcerned? Can we afford to be unconcerned?

Almost two decades back the state Government issued orders that all official transactions must be in Odia. Unsurprisingly, under a Chief Minister who himself does not know Odia, the order is followed in the breach without any qualms. Like every other state in India, the rule in Odisha is that all public servants must pass Class 7 in Odia before holding public office. This is not merely as issue of identity; there is a strong moral reason why persons holding public office should be able to talk to the general public, the farmers, the adivasis, the women, the weaker section of society, the last poor person with tears or anyone who wants his grievances to be understood and attended to by a public official. Even British colonial administrators learnt the local language compulsorily as almost a religious duty. Isn’t this an absolute moral principle that father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi had preached? Isn’t this the reason why the Indian constitution recognizes 22 languages?

So, there should be no ifs and buts on the language issue. There can be no ideological and moral ambiguity.  The people, political parties and circumstances create leaders in a democracy. Also, they are created by ideologies and principles. It is time we stand up for principles for which a generation of Odias like Madhubabu, Fakirmohan, Gopabandhu made so much of sacrifice.