BJD alleges neglect of border-area Odia teachers, seeks immediate release of dues

The Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Saturday accused the Odisha Government of neglecting Odia-language education in border areas by failing to release salaries and honorariums to teachers engaged in teaching children of Odia-speaking families in neighbouring states.

Addressing a press conference here today, BJD spokesperson and media coordinator Dr Lenin Mohanty said 652 teachers and 11 supervisors have been working through Utkal Sammilani for the past two decades to provide mother-tongue education to Odia children in border regions of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal.

Advertisement

Describing their work as a mission to preserve the Odia language and identity, Mohanty alleged that the government’s failure to release their dues reflected its indifference towards the cause of Odia asmita.

He said the programme was launched during the tenure of former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to promote Odia-language education among Odia-speaking communities living outside the state. The initiative, he added, carried forward the legacy of leaders such as Madhusudan Das, Gopabandhu Das and Pandit Godabarish Mishra, who had worked to strengthen the Odia language and culture in border regions.

Mohanty claimed that delegations of teachers had met Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi and School and Mass Education Minister Nityananda Gond twice regarding their pending dues. Though assurances were given that financial assistance would be released soon, no payments have been made so far, he alleged.

He further claimed that a promise made by the Chief Minister during a visit to Jharkhand to provide a monthly honorarium of Rs 6,000 to the teachers remains unfulfilled. As a result, the families of 663 teachers and supervisors are facing severe financial hardship, he said.

Accusing the BJP government of adopting a double standard on the issue of Odia identity, the BJD demanded immediate release of all pending dues and enhanced honorarium for teachers and supervisors. The party urged the government to ensure that financial constraints do not disrupt Odia-language education in border areas and undermine decades of efforts to preserve the language among Odia-speaking communities outside the state.