Opposition BJD and Congress legislators created a ruckus in the Odisha Assembly. File.
| Photo Credit: PTI
The Congress on Monday (March 10, 2025) attacked the BJP over its Odisha MLA Jayanarayan Mishra’s recent remarks that Koshala becoming a part of Odisha was a ‘historical’ mistake, and questioned Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s silence on the issue.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications, Jairam Ramesh, shared a media report on X, which claimed that Mr. Mishra did not stand up when the State song ‘Bande Utkal Janani’ was sung at an event.
“Dear Dharmendra Pradhan ji, why your silence on the statements and actions of your Sambalpur colleague who did not stand up when the Odisha state song ‘Bande Utkal Janani’ was sung,” Mr. Ramesh asked on X.
Mr. Pradhan, who is the Education Minister at the Centre, belongs to Odisha.
It was a historical blunder for Koshala to become a part of Odisha in 1936 as the region has remained neglected, senior BJP MLA Mishra said on Saturday.
Addressing a government function in Sambalpur where financial assistance was disbursed under the Subhadra Yojana, Mr. Mishra said Odisha was formed with the merger of three regions — Utkal that comprised the coastal region, Kalinga in the south, and Koshala in the west.
“The merger of Koshala during the formation of Odisha was a mistake. We have been neglected,” said Mr. Mishra, the BJP MLA from Sambalpur, the biggest city in the region.
“People of this region participated in the movement for merger with Odisha. But that was our biggest mistake,” he added.
Ruckus in Odisha Assembly
Opposition BJD and Congress legislators created a ruckus in the Odisha Assembly today regarding the ‘Koshala’ remark of a BJP MLA, and “rising crimes” against women in the state, prompting the Speaker to adjourn the House till 12.09 pm.
The BJD members demanded a statement from Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi over Jay Narayan Mishra’s remark referring to the merger of Koshala with Odisha in 1936.
The Congress MLAs raised the issue of “rising crimes” against women across the State.
The House witnessed uproarious scenes as soon as the Assembly paid homage to former minister Ananta Charan Das, who died on Sunday.
Holding placards and shouting slogans, the opposition members trooped into the well of the House. While the BJD members raised slogans from the well, senior Congress member Taraprasad Bahinipati was seen climbing onto the Speaker’s podium.
Speaker Surama Padhy then adjourned the House till 12.09 pm.
Following the adjournment, the agitating BJD members staged a sit-in within the Assembly premises.
Eight-time MLA and former BJD Minister R P Swain claimed, “Mishra’s statement was aimed to divide Odisha. The BJP came to power with the slogan of ‘Odia Asmita’ (pride). Is this ‘Odia Asmita’? The Congress MLAs also held a dharna near the statue of Mahatma Gandhi.
Published – March 10, 2025 12:17 pm IST
